Abia Moves to Clarify Senior Citizens Law with New Policy Manual

The Abia State Government has developed a draft policy manual to guide the implementation of the Senior Citizens Law signed into law in 2025.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday while briefing journalists at the Government House in Umuahia on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Kanu explained that the draft policy was prepared by the State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection to support the implementation of the Senior Citizens Law No. 4 of 2025.

According to him, the document provides a clear explanation of the provisions of the law and outlines how it will be executed.

He noted that the policy manual became necessary due to what he described as widespread misconceptions about the law among members of the public.

“This policy document provides a detailed breakdown of the provisions of the law and the modalities for its implementation,” Kanu said.

“This clarification has become necessary because there have been several misleading interpretations of the Senior Citizens’ Law by members of the public. While we appreciate the interest shown by the public, some people do not fully understand what the law entails, and that is why this policy manual is being developed.”

Kanu further explained that the law was enacted to ensure the participation, security, independence and dignity of elderly citizens in the state, while also addressing their health, mental and psychological needs.

He stressed that the law is not designed to provide direct cash payments to senior citizens but rather to create structured support systems for their welfare.

According to him, some of the initiatives under the law include the celebration of the International Day of Older Persons, housing support for the aged as well as indigent and displaced persons, health support for vulnerable elderly citizens, financial assistance and social insurance programmes, and food and nutritional support tailored to the needs of older people.

Kanu assured that the Abia State Government remains committed to ensuring the effective implementation of the law and other policies aimed at protecting vulnerable elderly persons across the state.

He added that even before the law was formally enacted, the Office of the First Lady, the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Women Affairs and other government agencies had already been working together on initiatives designed to support senior citizens.

Responding to questions from journalists, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Ngozi Felix, said Governor Otti had approved a nine-member committee to prepare the policy draft.

She expressed optimism that the document would be ready for public review by April.

Felix also revealed that plans were underway to relocate the Office of Senior Citizens from its current temporary location to a permanent office and to constitute a board that would oversee the implementation of the law.

“By the month of April, we expect the document to be ready for the public to examine,” she said.

“The Senior Citizens’ Office is currently operating from a temporary location, but there are plans to provide a permanent space now that the law has been signed. The board for the implementation of the law also needs to be constituted so that the office can be properly established.”