The Ogun state government Wednesday said it has acquired 2.2 hectares of land around Kobape area, Abeokuta for a proposed rehabilitation centre for destitute.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Ranti Oladehinde stated this while hosting members of the Ogun Assembly Committee on Women Affairs in Abeokuta.
The House committee was on oversight visit to the ministry to appraise its budget performance between January and June.
The permanent secretary stated that by the time the centre would start operation, the destitute would be taken off the streets in the state.
Oladehinde added that the ministry had been rescuing destitute persons from the streets by making use of private rehabilitation homes adding that the state had no rehabilitation centre.
The permanent secretary stated that the ministry had rescued and rehabilitated 46 destitute persons and vagrant lunatics across the state.
She said having a state owned rehabilitation centre would reduce the number of mentally challenged and destitute persons on the streets in the state.
She stated further that 625 family cases were handled by the Social development area offices domiciled in the local government areas between January and June.
“We have reconciled 97 estranged couples, whose cases were referred to the ministry,” she said.
Responding, the committee chairman, Sikiratu Ajibola, lauded the ministry on its activities saying that the ministry should always carry the assembly along in subsequent events.
Ajibola said the assembly will always be ready to assist the ministry when the need arises.
Other members of the committee include; Modupe Mujota, Lateefat Ajayi, Bello Atinuke and Lamidi Musefiu. (NAN)
