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“My regret is not championing the Rights for older persons as a Senator” - Ajoku tells Ecowas Parliamentarians



A former Senator and President of the Coalition of societies for the rights of older persons in Nigeria, Senator Eze Ajoku, has called on Ecowas Parliamentarians to brace up in the ratification and implementation of the United Nations Protocol on the Rights for older persons.

Ajoku in his contribution at the two day African Regional High-level conference on Human Rights situation of older persons in Africa, put together by the Ecowas Parliament and the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria said his only regret is that he did not start the championing of this course as a serving senator.  

Discussing his days as a Senator, Ajoku said, “I regret I did not have this opportunities when I was a senator to speak out for older persons and I do not want any of the Parliamentarians here today to have the same regret.

“I have tried to amend my regrets and that is why the appeal to you all is, haven recognised the plight of older persons, to join in the fight for the right and privileges of these persons.

He said “What i have find most disturbing, is that our policy makers and also our Parliamentarians forgets the fact that they will get old and one day they will be classified as older persons, and therefore the privileges of being here today is enormous for us.

“Today I can appreciate the problems and the difficulties of getting people to be aware of the issues affecting older persons and therefore I see this as a big privilege and opportunity.

He continued, “Parliamentarians have capacities and ability to convince their government to either sign the protocols or the legal documents or to get something done and I want to join in appealing to all the Parliamentarians to note that one day you will become an older person if you are not there already.

“And the people saying that as you make your bed, so you lay on it, I want to appeal to all of you to become the advocates of older persons, a class you will sooner or later belong to”.


Continuing, Ajoku said “As the President of the Coalition, One of the things I realized when we formed our association in Nigeria was that a legal framework was very necessary to define the basic rights and privileges of older persons because it does support every other advocacy for their rights.

“Today I am glad to say that the joint bill we created within our association is on the floor of our senate and it has gone through first reading, meaning that everyone who have come from the neighbouring countries in the ECOWAS region can also begin to create basic rights and privileges for their older persons”.

Expressing great concern he said “Fellow Parliamentarians, I want to appeal to you that you have a lot to say to do for us at this time, you can become the voice of this organization in your countries and even in Nigeria, and you can begin to create the necessary awareness even among the groups.

“I want to say to you, you have a major stake, you can help not only encourage government but you can also help by joining in the fight for the right for older persons. You can support those who are speaking at this point in your county and when we pull our voice together, Government will listen to us, we can use that influence to fight for older persons and that is my appeal to you distinguished Parliamentarians” Ajoku said.








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