The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, is to initiate the process for the enactment of a national law to provide clear guidelines for the protection of the welfare and interest of the aged.
Nana Oye Lithur, sector Minister, explained that the bill, if passed into law, would demonstrate Government’s commitment to ensuring that persons whose hard work and sacrifices had contributed to the nation were recognised.
The Gender Minister told the Ghana News Agency after collaborating with Direct Aid-Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, to present assorted food stuffs to Muslim aged women to show compassion to the needy in the month of Ramadan.
She said government has the interest of the elderly at heart and working studiously towards securing their welfare with Ghana’s donor partners.
She said the Gender Ministry had taken steps towards the development of a programme which would ensure that the aged enjoyed priority services as senior citizens.
Nana Oye Lithur said Government shared in the difficulties the elderly encountered especially with mobility and access to care and support from family members.
She said in view of that Government, through the Gender Ministry, was working out modalities to roll-out free bus rides and priority banking services for the elderly and that the initiative had begun with the collection of data.
Nana Oye Lithur said under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, the Gender Ministry would continue to provide the aged with bio-monthly cash transfers.
She urged the aged to encourage the young ones to abstain from violence, especially against women and girls, and be advocates against harmful socio-cultural practices, particularly female genital cutting, forced and early marriage and accusations of witchcraft.
Hajia Hanatu Abubakar, Founder of Al-Hayaat Foundation, said God had endowed women with some right that no man could take away and that women should be treated with care.
She said with the advent of Islam the deliberation and emancipation of women were given their right which were enshrined in the Holy Quran and no man could take it away.
Sheik Osumanu Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam, prayed for wisdom for Ghanaians and peace for the country.
