By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has repatriated 217 male and female destitutes, beggers and vagabonds, evacuated on the street of the Federal Capital City, Abuja.
Director, Department of Social Welfare Services, FCT Social Development Secretariat, Alhaji Sani Amar-Rabe, revealed this in an interaction with Journalists at the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre in Bwari Area Council.
He explained that the repatriation was in compliance with the order by the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu and the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, who instructed the department to rid the city of human and environmental nuisances.
The Director stated that it was the responsibility of the FCTA to ensure that those evacuated from the streets were repatriated to their states of origin.
” We are here in respect of repatriation of the apprehended destitutes, street baggers, street boys and vagabonds who were profiled, their health challenges were equally attended to and they show no interest in learning vocational skills.
” They only show interest to be out to be attended to what they consider to be a liberty sort of, to continue doing their destitution.
“But those who have good mindset, embrace skills acquisition for empowerment. So, that is the purpose of our coming to this centre today.
” Today we don’t have many; they are just 217 beggers and street boys that are to be repatriated, mostly to Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Jigawa, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states.
“And this time around we have some from Abia, Imo and Delta states.”
Amar-Rabe said the FCT Minister of State, Aliyu, had been in contact with some of the state governments through their Liaison Offices, to ensure that the affected states were more responsive in addressing and managing the repatriated destitutes and beggers.
