In a meeting head with banks on Tuesday, the Federal Government discussed the possibility of introducing a three-in-one identity card for senior citizens throughout the country.
Emem Omokaro, the Director-General of the National Senior Citizens Centre, emphasized the significant benefits this initiative could bring to improve the well-being of elderly individuals across the nation.
Omokaro emphasized the crucial role of establishing public-private partnerships to ensure the efficient production of the desired ID cards.
Omokaro called for public-private partnerships in the production of the ID cards.
“This roundtable meeting, we hope, being a joint novel and maiden meeting on funding possibilities for the production of functional and seamless (three-in-one) identity cards for senior citizens, would provide equal opportunity for all present to contribute your perspectives and ideas to the national project.
“The National Senior Citizens Centre’s vision is a multi-purpose card that would serve as a vehicle for financial inclusion, conducive economic and social enterprise empowerment instrument and access to age-friendly physical environment outcomes for Nigeria’s senior citizens – a population most left behind,” she stated.
The Director, Active Ageing and Support Services, NSCC, Kayode Fagbemi, outlined the benefits of the multipurpose ID cards for the senior citizens.
“The ID card is expected to provide unique benefits to the senior citizens in the following ways: The cards will be multipurpose cards as they will serve as both national identity cards, bank cards, and senior citizens cards.
“It contains vital information about the senior citizen. For travel benefits, senior citizens should be able to enjoy concessions on railway tickets. Separate counters or queues should be available for booking tickets.
“Airlines should be able to offer discounts on domestic flights. Separate counters or queues should be available for booking tickets. Public transport in the states should be able to offer discounts for senior citizens,” he stated.
Fagbmi said the objectives of the roundtable include to work out modalities for the printing of identity cards for senior citizens of Nigeria above the age of 60.
“To deliberate and determine the designs of the cards, create awareness, as well as address older persons keying into acquiring the cards and taking part in the benefits that come with the card.
“These benefits include discounts that will be placed for older persons from pharmacies, restaurants and other services such as transport, hospitals and many more,” he stated.
