Hussaini Ibrahim 
Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, dispensing a card to an elderly woman
Dutse, Nigeria – The Jigawa State Government has launched a new Old Age Support Scheme that will provide monthly cash transfers, free healthcare services and long-term social care to 5,740 elderly persons across 287 political wards.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hamisu Mohammed Gumel, said the initiative marks a major milestone in the state’s life-cycle social protection strategy, which provides welfare support from pregnancy and childhood to youth and now old age.
Governor Malam Umar Namadi described the scheme as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to inclusive and compassionate governance.
“This programme represents the completion of our life-cycle approach to social protection in Jigawa State,” Namadi said.
“It promotes dignity, equity and access to essential services for our elderly.”
The scheme builds on existing welfare interventions, including:
Maternal Cash Transfer Programme — now providing N7,000 monthly to 30 beneficiaries per ward.
Monthly Social Security Scheme for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) — increased to N10,000 per beneficiary, with 200 beneficiaries per LGA.
Enrollment of new beneficiaries is ongoing to meet a target of 5,200 additional elderly persons statewide.
The programme will be jointly implemented by the Rehabilitation Board, Jigawa State Contributory Health Insurance Management Agency (JICHMA), and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, which will coordinate home care visits, psychosocial support and counselling.
Governor Namadi also hinted at an upcoming Orphans Welfare Programme, following recent statewide data mapping of orphans and care homes.
“Our elders are pillars of our communities. Protecting their dignity is not charity — it is justice,” he said.
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Juliet Jacob 
Koko Maxwella 
Otamere Gladness 