NGO calls for implementation of national ageing policy

Mr Ebenezer Adjetey-Sorsey, Executive Secretary of Help Age Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has appealed to the government to ensure that the national aging policy is implemented to enhance the living conditions of older people.

He said it was worrying that since its passage into law by Parliament last year, the government appeared not eager to give practical effect to the policy.

Mr Sorsey was speaking at a day’s workshop on local government and ageing issues, jointly organized by Help Age and Compassion Africa Age Foundation also an NGO, in Kumasi on Wednesday.

It brought together assembly and unit committee members, officials of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and senior citizens.

The event provided the platform for them to discuss interventions designed to provide safety nets to the aged, including the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty and the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Mr Sorsey said Help Age Ghana and Age Foundation had since 2008 been working to improve the welfare of the aged adding that the two organizations would continue to highlight problems to reduce poverty among the aged.

He said the two NGO’s had launched the “Older Citizens Monitoring Project” and they were working through the establishment of Association of Older People in the various communities to tackle the concerns of older people.

Source: GNA