During an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Dr. Emem Omokaro, Director General of the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), announced that the Federal Government plans to create about 37,000 jobs in the geriatric care sector established by the NSSC. This announcement was revealed to commemorate President Bola Tinubu’s one-year anniversary. During Tinubu’s leadership over the past year, Omokaro mentioned that the NSCC successfully established a caregiving system for elderly individuals, focusing on health as well as social care skills.
In the past, elderly individuals were often cared for by whoever was willing in the family, regardless of their knowledge about caring for the elderly and individuals with multiple health conditions. However, over the past year, this has changed. They have collaborated closely with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to create a caregiving course. This course will now be considered a valuable skill and will be incorporated into the Nigerian skills qualification framework.
About 1000 elderly care providers will receive training and be employed.
She explained that Geriatric Social Care is now considered a specialised field, requiring caregivers of elderly individuals to undergo proper training and certification. Omokaro noted that the NSCC has created a groundbreaking document aimed at regulating and improving the standards of geriatric social care in Nigeria, marking a significant milestone in the country’s history. She stated that once the program is fully implemented, at least 1000 elderly care providers will receive training and be employed in every one of the 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Omokaro pointed out that a large number of Nigerians who migrated to other countries were employed in the healthcare field without receiving proper training in their home country. She also mentioned the need for a geriatric social care sector within the Nigerian skills framework due to the increasing demand for such services. She revealed that NSSC has established a Council led by the private sector, consisting of 23 members from various fields related to the field, to tackle the employment demands within the sector.
22 teaching hospitals dedicated to geriatric units have been selected.
Speaking further on the significance of the initiative, she added that they have found various training providers besides the council who possess a diverse range of skills covering areas such as psychology, medical therapies, gerontology, sociology, physical therapy, and community therapy. She explained that in order to address these complex issues in the care field, they have specifically selected 22 teaching hospitals within both state and federal government institutions that have dedicated geriatric units or centres.
According to her, the training program offers five different certification levels catering to a range of individuals, from senior Secondary School graduates seeking basic care skills to those aiming for higher levels of certification to enter the federal civil service. In addition to promoting employment opportunities, the program aims to provide older individuals with a sense of dignity, security, happiness, and joy during their Retirement years by ensuring they receive certified care and are not neglected.
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By investing in this specialised field, the government is not only addressing the social Welfare needs of elderly individuals but also boosting economic growth. The creation of thousands of jobs in this sector will reduce Unemployment rates and contribute to Nigeria’s overall economic development. The collaboration with NBTE is a significant step towards improving the skills and qualifications of caregivers in the sector. This specialised training program will not only enhance the quality of care provided to elderly individuals but also create a skilled workforce that can contribute to the country’s economy.