The Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has urged the government to take a second look at the review of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme as a measure to prioritise the healthcare needs and total well-being of the elderly in the society.
Armah-Kofi Buah said this while interacting with over 100 elderly men and women at the AYA Community Center at Ampain in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region to mark this year’s World Elderly Care Day celebrations.
Speaking on this year’s event theme,” Ageing With Dignity: The Importance Of Strengthening Care Support Systems For Older Persons”, the Deputy Minority Leader said Ageing With Dignity means ” we want them to grow to be happy, to have good healthcare support systems so they are not lonely”.
While acknowledging the recent LEAP adjustment, the MP said with the inflation rate, it is still very inadequate, and not all the aged who were registered to enjoy the LEAP benefits.
He emphasised the need for Ghana to, “Reflect as a country what it can do to make the life of the elderly more meaningful.”
The MP therefore called on the government to do more for the elderly, especially on social Programmes that ensure that the old age gracefully with happiness, and in good health and protect them from abuse as well as other social vices that are not good for their ageing.
The Deputy Minority Leader called on the government to review the LEAP programme to reflect the reality of what is happening.
“Ghana should be a country where when you work hard and grow old, there will be support systems in place to help you grow,” he wishes.
He said, “LEAP was one of the Programmes for the elderly but it is completely inadequate”.
He noted with concern that Ghana ought to take a cue from how other countries take good care of their aged with adequate cash and health insurance schemes to make life comfortable for them.
“I envisioned a Ghana that will make issues affecting the elderly, her topmost priority,” he hoped.
The MP observed that “some of the aged were left alone without care and were also branded as witches”, a situation which underscored the importance of the Elderly Care Project.
As part of activities marking this year’s World Elderly Care Day celebrations, the elderly men and women at the AYA Center were treated to breakfast and lunch, special takeaway food packs and an unspecified amount of money to support their livelihoods.
Armah-Kofi Buah said since the establishment of the AYA Elderly Care Center, it organised free eye screening and distribution of glasses to those with eyesight problems.
