The Ebonyi State Government has begun evacuation and rehabilitation of destitute and persons with mental disorders from the streets of Abakaliki and environs, and exercise aimed to sanitise the environment and ensure the safety of residents.
Penpushing reports that Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Felicia Nwankpuma, made the development known this on Monday raising concern on the increasing number of destitute roaming the metropolis.
The Commissioner expressed the ministry’s commitment to expediting action to curtail the menace and reduce the dangers it posed to society, disclosing that about five mentally ill persons, comprising three females and two males, were handed over to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki for treatment and rehabilitation.
Penpushing further reports that she explained that the action was to promote and protect mentally ill patients, noting that as a significant step forward to make society a better place, the state government had solicited the support of families to manage patients with mental illness.
‘Five of them were picked and taken to hospital for treatment. What we are doing is a stage-by-stage process. First was sensitisation, and now the picking. We will identify, engage them with skills and reunite them with their families when they become stable’, she added.
“We are trying to assist and encourage families to do the needful and assist the government in making them get better. What is important here is the sustainability aspect of the exercise’, Nwankpuma emphasised.
Penpushing also reports that the Commissioner, however, kicked against the use of children to beg for money in the street, and gave assurance that the government’s continuous engagement with adult beggars and the destitute to ensure their children went back to school.
The Ministry boss expressed appreciation to Governor Francis Nwifuru and his wife, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, for their commitment to rehabilitating and empowering vulnerable individuals in the state.
Penpushing reports that Assistant Director of Medicine at the psychiatric unit of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Mary Opara,in her remarks assured of the five patients’ quick recovery.
The Assistant Director attributed mental health disorders to a combination of factors, including genetic lineage and biological factors, stressing that psychological factors like economic hardship are tormenting youths, while others are into drugs, suicidal episodes, communal violence and insecurity.
Penpushing further reports that Head of the Department of Medical Social Works of the hospital, Sorochi Otu commended the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development rehabilitation efforts and pointed out that the intervention process would begin with clerking, admission, and treatment of the patients.
The Department of Medical Social Works stated that a significant number of factors, which included harsh environment, neglect and negligence from family background, might have contributed to the conditions.
Penpushing also reports that Otu, however, advised the public to extend care and love to the needy and acknowledge everyone as equal, despite their different capacities.
The Head of the Social Welfare Department of the Women Affairs and Social Development, Vigi Nweze on her part expressed optimism that the exercise would eliminate the trend, stressing that the major objective is to stop children and adults from street begging and hawking
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