Ghana used to mark July 1, Republic Day, both as a national holiday and also as Senior Citizens Day (SCD), in recognition of the contribution of the aged to the nation’s progress. Doubtless, for the selection of senior citizens (SCs) invited, the highlight was being hosted to lunch by the President, or regional heads.

Senior Citizens Day was instituted by the National Democratic Congress administration of President Jerry John Rawlings on 1 July, 1997, a reliable source reminded me. I wasn’t in Ghana then, but I came to appreciate its symbolism and, conceivably, its importance to the invitees.

Republic Day, commemorating the country’s attainment of republican status on July 1, 1960, was observed as a national holiday until 2019, when its status changed to a ‘Commemorative’ Day, thus not a holiday. However, I seem to recall that a noteworthy feature of July 1 was the flood of Republic Day media salutations, mostly by corporate bodies and diplomatic missions.

This year, July 1 was significant for the silence about the SCD. A reminder that SCD has been, or is being, airbrushed out of the national observances calendar and I’m wondering why.

Even if Republic Day is no longer a national holiday, why should the SCD be discontinued? There are international observances honouring senior citizens, and I believe that it’s not wrong for Ghana to have its own celebration of its senior citizens, those in the 60+ bracket.

Also, instead of the usual print media Republic Day congratulatory messages, it was noticeable that on Monday, July 1, the only congratulatory advert in the three leading dailies – Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, and Daily Guide – was one by the GCB Bank, creatively featuring an extract from the Graphic of July 1, 1960.

Not marking Republic Day as a holiday may be understandable because there are other, related, national observances, notably Independence Day. But why the seeming abandonment of the Senior Citizens Day, the only such tribute on the national calendar?

True, only a few senior citizens could be catered for at the presidential lunch, and in the regional capitals, surely the symbolism as a goodwill gesture was appreciated.

Regardless of activities by other institutions to celebrate the aged this week, it’s regrettable that there was no official or national observance of Senior Citizens Day on July 1, 2024.

To compound the matter was the suggestion by the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, that July 1 should be set aside to honour the youth!

As reported by the Graphic of July 2, 2024, in his speech at the ceremony in Accra on July 1 to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Cadet Corps, the Vice-President “proposed that July 1 be set aside as a National Youth Day since there was no such day for the youth.”

A commendable idea, but why no other day, but July 1, which Ghana has been observing as Senior Citizens Day?

I have made no secret of my support for Dr Bawumia’s policies, innovations, and pragmatic ideas. And I think his latest announcement at the Cadet anniversary, his proposal of an even higher quota of deserving former cadets to be recruited into the security agencies, is one worth considering.

Nevertheless, I think his second suggestion at that ceremony, of making July 1 a National Youth Day needs to be reviewed, so that July 1, Republic Day, remains a day to honour Ghana’s senior citizens.

A day to recognise the contribution of the youth, yes; but on another day, please not July 1.

With the aged in mind, it also seems strange to me that in this Election 2024 period speedily gathering momentum, all the political parties have been showing little or no interest in wooing ‘the grey vote’ – the votes of the aged. Most of their messages and ‘vote- catching’ strategies are focused on the youth. Understandably so, as the youth constitute a huge chunk of the population, especially first-time voters.

Yet, clearly, the grey vote, too matters! Even a single vote can make a difference in an election, so any party successfully courting the SCs, could gain a substantial advantage in this critical Election 2024. It’s normally the elderly who have interest in national politics and the passion to participate in elections.

So our political parties need to be reminded of the Akan adage, which translates as ‘when you brace your plantain trees (to prevent them from falling down), remember to prop up your banana trees, too, (because you never know which one could be your saviour in future).’

As indicated, if the SCD has been abolished, it’s unfortunate.

However, to my mind, there is an even more pragmatic and inclusive way that the Government can show its appreciation for the contribution of the elderly to the nation. That would be by reduction of the cost of health care and drugs for the above 60s.

It’s extremely troubling that at the time of one’s life when one is not earning a salary, that is when most of one’s illnesses can only be treated with costly procedures and or medicines.

Anyway, coincidentally, despite the SCD disappointment, there was some encouraging news for SCs, courtesy of a friend. A news report forwarded to me, had the intriguing headline “The surprise has arrived!”

The report indeed confirmed the hint in the headline of significant information.

Excerpts from the report follow:

“The director of the George Washington University School of Medicine (in the USA), maintains that the brain of an elderly person is much more practical than is commonly believed. At this age, the interaction of the left and right hemispheres of the brain becomes harmonious, which expands our creative possibilities.

“That is why among people over the age of 60 you can find many personalities who have just started their creative activities.

“Of course, the brain is no longer as fast as it was in youth. However, it gains in flexibility. Therefore, with age, we are more likely to make the right decisions and less exposed to negative emotions. The peak of human intellectual activity occurs around the age of 70, when the brain begins to work in full force (emphasis added).

“Also interesting is the fact that after 60 years a person can use 2 hemispheres at the same time. This allows you to solve much more complex problems.

“A study was conducted in which different age groups participated. The young people were very confused while passing the tests, while those over 60 years old made the right decisions.”

(SOURCE: New England Journal of Medicine.)

Definitely a stimulating report! But of course I believe that those of us in the 60+ and 70+ category knew that already. Still, it’s gratifying to have it confirmed by an academic study, that being elderly or a SC doesn’t necessarily mean one is mentally or even physically incapacitated.

Rather, needless to say, the stark reality for many of the aged is financial incapacitation!

Therefore, I repeat my suggestion that an even more beneficial support for SCs, an emphatic demonstration of inclusiveness, would be a policy to reduce the cost of health care and medication for Ghana’s Senior Citizens.