Clem Agba, the Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, has expressed readiness to support National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) to deliver on its mandate.
Agba made this known, when Dr Emem Omokaro, the Director-General of NSCC, paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday, in Abuja.
He said that he was ready to support NSCC on its mandate on enhancing the wellbeing of the elderly across the country.
According to him, the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021 to 2025 has been approved and inaugurated.
“We made it clear to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that going forward; the annual budget must flow from the plan.
“This is because, in the past, we made plans and keep them aside. That is why in the NDP, we create three columns. Volume one is the plan, Volume two is the Programmes and Projects that have to be done within the life span of the NDP.
“Base on that, envelopes are given to MDAs and it is from those envelopes that the budgets are drawn. Things have now changed. Now, the MDAs use the envelopes and fix their priorities.
“In encouraging you, take the NDP and read the area of Social Protection so that if there is anything that is left out, let us see how we can accommodate some of the issues.
“Though, the budget must come from the plan, but there are some exceptional cases that we can go outside the plan to accommodate. So you wear the shoes, you know where it pitches,” Agba said.
The minister encouraged Omokaro to look at the volume two to see what programmes are there and also make reference to the relevant MDAs and observed what they put forward to see if it is adequate or not.
“But, be rest assured that we are willing to work with you, except that we do not plan to get old.
“We need to have a good system for the elderly, like it is done in Europe and American. There is a need to make provision to take care of senior citizens.
“So, work closely with our Social Development Team, read the plan and we can take it from there,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Omokaro said the NSCC require proper take-off and funding to deliver on its mandates.
She said that seven months after inauguration, the centre was yet to receive its take-off grant and the implication being its inability to build capacities and mechanism needed in good time to take off.
“The urgency to reduce old age poverty and mitigate vulnerability in post COVID-19 increases the stakes to deliver on the social inclusion mandate of President Buhari.
“We, therefore, appeal to the Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning to use his good office to urge his sister minister to release NSCC’s take-off grant to ensure it delivers on its mandates.
“We wish to thank you for working hard to expand Social Protection Policy for inclusion. We are happy to note that older persons have been captured,” Omokaro said. (NAN)