The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said a total of 1, 340 beggars, destitute and mentally challenged persons were rescued off the streets of Lagos in the last one year.
Speaking at the ongoing 2016 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa to commemorate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s one year in office, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Pharm. Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf said the Government, in the period under review, released and re-united 590 rehabilitees with their relations for re-integration, while 1, 228 persons were rehabilitated at the Rehabilitation and Training Centre in Majidun.
Akinbile-Yussuf, who addressed the briefing jointly with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, said many of the rehabilitees were subsequently placed on vocational training to make them contribute positively to the society, adding that 43 drug dependents rehabilitees, who probably had lost hope, were restored back to their functional ability and another 20 placed under vocational training at the Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre in Isheri.
“In the last one year, the Lagos State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode recorded many achievements in the area of social welfare and for instance, I can categorically tell you that a total of 634 Juvenile cases were successfully handled under the Family Social Services, while a total of 110 applications for adoption were successfully screened,” the commissioner said.
“Also, 150 reputed cases of sexual abuse and physical abuse were treated, while five pregnant school children were assisted to access adequate antenatal and delivery services. They were also assisted to be integrated back to school,” Akinbile-Yussuf said.
