Follow Us on Google
Oyo State Government, yesterday, evacuated 41 beggars and nine mentally-deranged individuals from major areas of Ibadan, the state capital, to special centres.
The exercise, which began at about 10:05am at Mokola, Ibadan North Local government, was led by Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Faosat Sanni, alongside a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Matan Arewa Southwest Nigeria, a body that catered for the need of destitute from the North, headed by its President, Aishat Ismail.
Among the beggars, there were nine boys under 12 years old, six girls of the same age, 15 men and 10 women who were taken to special centres for rehabilitation.
The beggars, mostly from the North, were taken to a special centre managed by the Matan Arewa Southwest Nigeria, in Ibadan with the assurance that the state government would work together with the NGO to give the children free education, feeding and other essentials to change their status in the society.
Nine mentally-deranged individuals were also taken to Emmanuel Rehabilitation Centre For The Mentally-Ill, Oja’gbo, Ibadan for medical care and rehabilitation.
The commissioner said steps have been taken to continually evacuate destitute and street beggars until the society accepted that begging was not a way of life and those with mental sickness should be taken to public health institution, rather than being left to roam the streets.
