THE SENIOR CITIZEN
A nation that does not honor its heroes will not endure. I was appalled to see many of our senior citizens being assembled at the Lekma precinct with little regard to their age and health. The concern for the aged was lacking with these particular registration process being organize by the Controller and Accountant Generals office to reregister in their own publication in the national Daily Graphic on the 16th of June 2016 stating “Controller and Accountant Generals Department Announcement. Biometric Validation of Government (CAP 30) Pensioners”.
The scene was pitiful. There was no precise direction of where to commence the registration when you arrive at the precinct. Pensioners were left hanging with no one to usher them through the process. Sits for the aged people to sit and recuperate their frail energies were nonexistent. Security at the scene was poor with police at their normal rude selves. Personnel’s in charge of the registration process were wearing their normal frown faces us most public officials do. In truth it was the survival of the fittest at the precinct for many of the pensioners.
I can’t begin to tell you the state of health of many of the senior citizens. Many have serve these nation diligently for three to four decades. I am tempted to ask if it will be worth it dying for the nation call Ghana or it will serve us right to rob the nation dry when you find the opportunity? Is this the way I will be treated when I become a pensioner someday? Are our senior citizens destitute that time cannot be taken to plan these registration process civilly with a human face? What exactly is their crime than to spend their vibrant years working for the nation? Is working for these nation worth it after all? Being the Controller and Accountant General, in charge of numbers, don’t they have data for all the pensioners under “CAP 30” in the Teshie ,Nungua and Lashibi area, for them to plan and execute these process serenely with health and safety of people in mind?
Authorities in charge of the organization of these ”CAP 30” registration and any other registration should bare in mind that they are not growing any younger. It shall do them a lot of good if they begin to organize these registration processes with respect for human life and the aged- for there is karma- and the sooner they come out and apologize and improve their working standards to the levels required the better. Because having elders and senior citizens to talk to is a good thing. For a nation without elders is doomed.
