The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, has appealed to senior citizens to take advantage of the exemption package for the aged and register with the national Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). She said the government was determined to implement the one time NHIS premium policy and that everything would be done to sustain the scheme. Mrs Benyiwa Doe said this at a luncheon held for more than 200 senior citizens drawn from all the 17 districts in the region to mark the 50th Republic Day in Cape Coast. The senior citizens, who were served with a buffet lunch, were also treated to highlife music provided by the Central Regional Ghana National Fire Service band. Some presented with a kente cloth, stole with the inscription "the nation is proud of you", whiles others were presented with pieces of wax print. Mrs Benyiwa Doe said the government recognized the positive contributions of senior citizens in the nation's development and that it would continue to support them. She added that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP) is being implemented across the country in selected districts and communities. She said in the Central Region, nine districts are participating with 1,486 beneficiaries and that plans are far advanced to expand this social intervention to cover more districts and communities. Mrs Benyiwa Doe called for support for the government, saying "we all have a part to play to ensure that the system works well so that our dear nation can realize its objective of belonging to a middle income nation." "As senior citizens your rich experiences are needed at all times to enhance this course, we are therefore more than willing to receive pieces of advice from you to advance the better Ghana Agenda that we have set for ourselves," Mrs Benyiwa Doe said. Many of the Senior Citizens expressed their gratitude to the government for recognizing and appreciating their contributions to the nation's development and pledged to share their expertise with the younger generation. Source: GNA