Ghana’s National Aging Policy: Are We Implementing Or Yet To Be Implemented?

United Nations reported in 2017 that, approximately, 11.5% of the global population has attained 60 years and over. In the next three decades, an estimated 2 billion people in the world will reach 60 years and above. The population of the elderly people, aged 65 years, in Africa as of 2010 was 36 million and accounted for 3.6% of Africa’s total population. Recognising the consequences of aging, the Protocol on the rights of older persons in Africa which was adopted by the Head of states of the African Union in 2016 has been signed by only 5 countries and ratified by 1 country as of March 2018. The Protocol on the rights of older persons in Africa requires at least 15 ratifications before it enters into force. Pragmatically, about 80% of African president are above 60 years yet the Protocol on the rights of older persons in Africa has been signed by only 5 countries and ratified by 1 country as of March 2018.

Ghana’s aging trend is no different from both international and regional trends. The population of the elderly in Ghana has increased by more than seven-fold since the 1960 census, rising from 213,477 in 1960 to 1,643,381 in 2010. It is expected to increase to nearly 2 million aged in the country by 2020. By projection results in 2050, the aged population will constitute 14.1% of Ghanaians’ total population. These figures suggest that the population of the aged is on the increase. The rise in the aged population is because of increasing life expectancy. The proportion of the female elderly population is 56% as compared with 44% of the male elderly population, an indication of higher life expectancy of the female population.

Almost 63% of the elderly are rural dwellers as compared with 46% of their urban counterparts. Twelve percent of the elderly has one or more kinds of disability. Most of the elderly (71.1%) live in a dwelling owned by a household member (not necessarily the elderly) and almost a fifth (23%) resides in houses that are owned by a relative. As high as 22% of them have no access to a toilet facility and 34% use public toilet facility. Most of the elderly who are economically active are either skilled agricultural and forestry workers who are mostly food crop farmers (63.1%) or service and sales workers (13.3%) or craft and related traders (8.4%). These three are major occupations of the elderly. A small proportion of the elderly are professionals (2.7%), managers (2.2%) and technicians and associated professionals (1.3%) (PHC.2010).

In recognition of the contributions of the aged coupled with their plights, the Government of Ghana, drafted the National Aging Policy dubbed, ‘’Aging with security and Dignity’’ in 2010, same year as the Population and Housing Census. The overarching goal of the National Ageing Policy is to achieve the overall social, economic and cultural re-integration of older persons into mainstream society, to enable them as far as practicable to participate fully in the national development process.

Prior to policy document draft in 2010, a national policy on aging was prepared and submitted to Cabinet for approval in 2003. The policy sought to address several aging issues at the time but the policy as a comprehensive document was not implemented. What motivated the draft of another policy was perhaps to increase the influence of the aged in our national development.

Looking at the prevailing socio-economic conditions among most aged in Ghana, especially rural aged and comparing it to the national aging policy objectives, the legitimate fundamental question that arise is: Is the national aging policy being implemented or yet to be implemented? The perfect answer to this question would be a big NO, looking at the circumstances the aged find themselves. For instance, most of the elderly about 85% of them do not own their houses, majority living in the rural areas with poor economic advantage, most of them resort to public toilet and the question is how accessible is the public toilet for the aged in Ghana.

Per the Ghana Statistical Service, least few aged are engaged in the formal sector with majority being farmers, sales workers and traders. The National Pensions Act 766, 2008, states that pensions are only available to contributors. That’s they provide pension benefits to ensure retirement income security for workers both in the public and private sectors. The question is how feasible is the pension plan for the aged in Ghana. The non-contributory social pension scheme in Kenya, Bolivia, South Africa and Brazil, unlike the pension scheme in Ghana, allows eligible older persons to receive money where they do not pay anything. With this policy, the poorest of the poor are given hope as an individual of the nation. This would cater for majority of the aged who are farmers and traders to have a share of the national cake at old age. The non-contributory pension helps the poorest of the poor from chronic poverty. This makes the slogan of ‘’Leaving no one behind’’ as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals, achievable for all.

Even without the implementation of the National Aging Policy, what measures have been put in place to cater for the aged? Some technocrats, would argue the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (L.E.A.P) programme. The L.E.A.P programme is to support the poor aged to access daily life routine services, that makes life comfortable and improve wellbeing. They are given an allowance, at least four times annually. The LEAP does not cover all older persons in Ghana as it targets only aged with no productive capacity or serious illness. However most of the aged in Ghana who are not ill are extremely poor, especially in rural areas. How sustainable is the allowance spread across each three months, especially for rural dwellers who are aged and have a high dependency ratio? The payment modes of the programme are irregular and mostly delayed at the district level. In Ghana, the aged are poor, hungry, sick and usually nobody’s concern (Graphic Online, 2016).

One advantage of being an elderly in Ghana in 21st century, is the ability to enjoy free medical care ONLY IF, you are registered on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The scheme is financed by a health insurance levy 2.5% earmarked addition to the Value-Added Tax (VAT). The NHIS ensures frequent health care use among the aged, that’s people above 70 years only are exempt from paying premium as they enjoy free membership. The Population and Housing Census (PHC), 2010, defined elderly (the aged) as a category of adults who have attained advanced ages, 60 or 65 years.

The question is why set a minimum standard for NHIS programme at 70 years whiles the PHC have its defined aged as 60 or 65 years and above. Which benefits does those within the gap enjoys or they left to their own fate as they not captured within the specific aged group. I think the time is due to consider issues about aging very serious. Our current President Nana Addo is 74 years, all our ex-Presidents are above 60 years. Technically speaking we are being ruled by the aged group but it seems young and passionate fellows are forging for their rights. Maybe some segregated part of the aged are benefiting so does not show much interest about the vast majority of their class mates and friends who are suffering silently in a remote rural area. A country where there are no geriatric services for the aged and all queue in line to see a medical practitioner, a country where all the aged struggle with the masses for transport services.

Today’s generation owe it as a duty to honour and guarantee better living conditions for our older persons. We need to recognize that the society in which we live today has been built thanks to the efforts and toil of previous generations some of whom live with us and defined as older persons. We must make the effort to provide them with efficient health care services and conducive living environment to ensure that they are actively and with adequate security and recognizable dignity.