Mrs Eunice Abban Afari, Chief Executive Officer, Los Abuelos Foundation (LAF), has urged the government to prioritise the passing of the Aging Bill to address the social, economic, and health challenges older persons face. She said its passage would ensure the establishment of a comprehensive framework for older persons' care and support, including social protection, healthcare, and housing. The CEO was speaking at the commemoration of the 2024 United Nations International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) organised by the LAF in collaboration with the Department of Population and Health of the University of Cape Coast and Partners. The event which took place in Accra, was on the theme, 'Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide.' Mrs Afari said that doing so, could also guarantee the rights and dignity of older persons, promote their well-being, and create a society that valued and respected their contributions. 'We appeal to the government to expedite the legislative process and make the Ageing Bill a reality,' she added. She called on stakeholders to work together to make Ghana a leader in older persons' welfare and ageing policy in Africa. Mrs Afari said the theme resonated with their mission to promote the welfare and well-being of Older Persons in Ghana and with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, Goal 3 and Goal 10. She said geriatric centres played a vital role in addressing the unique health challenges faced by older persons, such as age-related diseases, cognitive decline, and social isolation. The CEO said by establishing and strengthening geriatric centres, they were certain that comprehensive, age-sensitive care, reduced health disparities, and dignified ageing would be achieved, contributing to the achievement of the SDGs. Mrs Afari said the harmful effects of pollution, environmental degradation, and social displacement caused by illegal mining could not be overstated, and that it demanded collective actio n to address the issue and ensure that older persons were protected from these harmful effects. She said Ghana had made significant strides in promoting the rights and dignity of older persons, however, more needed to be done to strengthen care and support systems, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare and social services were limited. She called on the government to prioritise the security and safety of older persons prior to the election, as they were vulnerable to electoral violence, intimidation, and exploitation. 'We urge the Government to take concrete measures to ensure their protection and enable them to exercise their right to vote without fear or hindrance,' he added. 'Specifically, we request that the government deploys security personnel to polling stations in areas with high older person populations, ensure accessible and older-person-friendly voting facilities and protect older persons from electoral manipulation and exploitation,' she said. Mr Ben Edmund Duah, Executive Di rector of the Veterans Administration of Ghana, said the challenges faced by older persons were huge and diverse, such that it was imperative to prioritise access to adequate healthcare and promote social inclusion for older adults. He said Resolution 45/106, each October 1, had been set aside for the global observance with the aim of promoting awareness of Older Persons' contributions, and challenges and addressing issues related to ageing, such as health, social isolation, and economic security. 'The Resolution also calls for advocacies for the rights and dignity of Older People,' he added. The Executive Director urged LAF to continue the laudable humanitarian acts and called on all and sundry to support efforts to let Older People age healthily and with dignity. Source: Ghana News Agency