Kumasi, Jan 31, GNA - The Kumasi district branch of the National Pensioners Association would this year institute a welfare scheme to assist members financially and materially for them to improve upon their standard of living.

Mr. Tim Kwame Aborah, chairman of the association who announced this, said the association had started, in December last year, to work out the modalities of the disbursement of the facilities. He announced this at the annual get-together of the association in Kumasi at the weekend and said the association had also linked up with philanthropists, benevolent societies and corporate bodies to the plight of pensioners to enable them to regularly contribute to the scheme.

Mr Aborah regretted that in spite of the crucial roles senior citizens had played over the years in the political and socio-economic development of the country, very little attention was given to their general welfare and sustenance, adding, "a country that does not honour its heroes stand the risk of breeding an unpatriotic youth". He said it was therefore, a high time that government took the suggestions of senior citizens seriously since their inputs could accelerate the country's development.

Mr. Aborah also called on financial institutions to be considerate whenever pensioners with viable ventures approached them for loans. Jan. 31 05