The Ebonyi government says it has begun evacuation and rehabilitation of destitute and persons with mental disorders from the streets of Abakaliki.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Felicia Nwankpuma, disclosed this on Monday in Abakaliki, saying the exercise was to sanitise the environment and ensure the safety of residents.

Ms Nwankpuma decried the increasing number of destitute roaming the metropolis while expressing the ministry’s commitment to expediting action to curtail the menace and reduce its dangers to society.

She said about five mentally ill persons – three females and two males – were handed over to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA) Abakaliki for treatment and rehabilitation.

The commissioner said the action was to promote and protect mentally ill patients and correct the flaws in lunacy.

She said 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,” Ms Nwankpuma said.

She also expressed distaste at some individuals who have adopted the use of little children to beg for money despite the government’s efforts at empowering its citizens through a commitment made to engage them with skills and financial support.

The commissioner promised the government’s continuous engagement of adult and destitute beggars to ensure their children returned to school.

Ms Nwankpuma appreciated Governor Francis Nwifuru and his wife, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, for their commitment to rehabilitating and empowering vulnerable individuals in the state.

In her remarks, Mary Opara, assistant director of medicine at the hospital’s psychiatric unit, assured of the quick recovery of the five patients.

Ms Opara attributed mental health disorders to a combination of factors, including genetic lineage and biological factors.

“Psychological factors like economic hardship is tormenting youths. Others are into drugs, suicidal episodes, communal violence and insecurity,” Ms Opara said.

Vigi Nweze, the head of the ministry’s social welfare department, expressed optimism that the exercise would eliminate the trend.

“The major objective is to stop children and adults from street begging as well as hawking,” Ms Nweze said.

The state government, through the Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development, began raiding and evacuating persons with mental health disorders in Abakalik on November 29.

The state government had a fortnight ago carried out sensitisation campaigns against street trading, begging using underage children and the need to care for people with mental health disorders. 

(NAN)