SOCIAL SAFETY NETS FOR RETIREES
Lagos State is committed to taking care of the old and the retired,
Lagos State has an administration led by an able and indefatigable governor who fully understands and appreciates the role that public servants play in governance. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is a compassionate person who is irrevocably dedicated to the welfare of all public servants during and after active service.
Indeed, it is in the interest of the society at large for government to embark on certain gratuitous initiatives that benefit the most vulnerable in the society. I will briefly examine the existing safety nets being implemented by the Civil Service Pensions Office in the hope that they will help stimulate these inquiries into how these measures can be improved and the modalities for creating and sustaining additional safety nets as may be thought fit.
The first point in the development of the theme of compassion is that we (i.e., the society and the government) should care because these retirees are our mothers and fathers. They are our first teachers. They teach how to love, how to care, how to give, how to forgive, how to accept, and most of all they are our backbone of support. Without their endless sacrifice during our early years, we would not be capable of what we are today. We need to care for our retirees and the older citizens because they deserve to be cared for.
Second, we should care because our retirees and the older citizens have more knowledge and wisdom than any one of us. Their experiences through the storms that life takes them through yield great wisdom. They have come so far and they have learned so much, we have a responsibility to learn from that wisdom. So take the time to listen to what they have to say.
Third, our retirees and the older citizens have either acquired, created or have been brought up with a set of morals, values and/or principles in their life. They may not directly apply to our own but the least we can do is examine how those values impacted their lives. We can learn a thing or two from adopting those values. Learn the right and wrong. Have the insight into a set of rules that we can outline for ourselves to follow and live by. Our elders would want the best for us and they would be more than willing to tell us what set of rules and guidelines have made them successful and hopefully, peaceful.
Fourth, our retirees and the older citizens worked hard for our today. They sacrificed their yesterday for our today. We owe today’s comforts to their efforts yesterday. Fifth, they have invaluable experience and insight. For this simple reason, we must appreciate them. We may or may not know of all the ups and downs they have faced in life but they have definitely gained experience that is worth respecting and learning from. Our elders may hide much pain from us because they don’t want us to feel the pain, the least we can do is appreciate them for all that they have gone through—gained and lost—and learn from their insight into situations and circumstances.
Sixth, our history and heritage and culture dictate that we be a compassionate society. We must not imbibe the tenets of the cultures that seem to suggest that we can afford to be uncaring. Let us wear the face of compassion in our dealings with our retirees and the older citizens.
In an article published in The Guardian Newspapers of London, the editors attempted to address the approach of the society to retirees and older people. It noted that “society is failing to value and harness older people’s skills, knowledge and experience.” It then quoted statistics from a survey showing that “about 92% of the 1,250 respondents to the ageing population research believe that older adults’ contribution to society is not recognised. One said: “On the whole the public view older people as a drain on society instead of an asset.” Another added: “Older people are mostly seen as a bundle of problems and serviceneeds. Their strengths, skills and knowledge are not harnessed or appreciated in a society infatuated by the cult of youth.”
The Guardian then stated its own finding that, “In fact, older people in the UK contribute an estimated £61bn to the economy through employment, volunteering and caring. And, according to Ros Altmann, the UK government’s champion for older workers, being 50, 60 or 70 in the 21st century is no longer a predictor of physical or mental abilities. It certainly does not signify that someone has failing health and will soon be unfit to work, or no longer able to learn new skills.
The editors further noted that, “with numbers of people aged 75 and over expected to double by 2040 and the proportion of older people in the UK due to rise from 23% to 28% of the population by 2030, it is vital to plan for the necessary services to support our ageing society.” This observation led them to ask the following questions: “How can we create a society where people are not so worried about getting old, where there is less stereotyping of older people, more intergenerational contact, and more opportunities to see older people as assets? What are the issues around financing retirement and how do we make sure older adults are not excluded because they don’t have enough money? Now, I am not aware of the availability of equivalent statistics in Nigeria but I suspect that similar deductions can be made, if not in terms of actual numbers, but in the overall substance and conclusions. The questions raised in that article are therefore worthy of our consideration.
In terms of existing initiatives, you may be aware that the Civil Service Pensions Office (CSPO) regularly distributes welfare packages to the retirees of the state’s public service that are 70 years and above. This initiative is informed by the commitment of the Lagos State Government led by Mr. Ambode, to continue to celebrate and appreciate the invaluable contributions made by public servants to the status of Lagos State as a model state and as Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence. This initiative demonstrates that this commitment applies to both serving and retired public servants. It will be recalled that the governor had said in his inaugural speech that “I shall run an open government of inclusion that will not leave anybody behind. No matter your age, sex, tribe or any other status as long as you reside in Lagos, we will make Lagos work for you”. Dr. Benson Oke, is Lagos State commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions