By UCHENNA UGWU

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

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

Nwankpuma decried the increasing number of destitutes roaming the metropolis, while expressing the ministry?s commitment to expediting action to curtail the menace and reduce the dangers it posed to the society.

She said that 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 as well as correct the flaws in lunacy.

She said that as a significant step forward to make the 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 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.

?We are trying to assist and encourage families to do the needful and assist government in making them get better.

?What is important here is the sustainability aspect of the exercise,? Nwankpuma said.

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

The commissioner promised government?s continuous engagement of adult beggars and destitutes to ensure their children went back to school.

Nwankpuma appreciated Gov. Francis Nwifuru and his wife, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, for their commitments towards the rehabilitation and empowerment of vulnerable individuals in the state.

In her remarks, Mrs Mary Opara, Assistant Director of Medicine at the psychiatric unit of the hospital, assured of the quick recovery of the five patients.

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,? Opara said.

Mrs Sorochi Out, Head of Department, Medical Social Works of the hospital, while commending Mrs Nwifuru?s efforts on the rehabilitation, noted that the intervention process would begin with clarking, admission and treatment of the patients.

Out noted that a significant number of factors, which included, harsh environment, neglect and negligence from family background, might have contributed to the conditions.

She advised the general public to extend care and show love to the needy, and acknowledge everyone as equal, in spite of different capacity.

Mrs Vigi Nweze, Head of Social Welfare Department of the ministry, 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,? Nweze said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government through the Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development, began raiding and evacuation of persons with mental health disorders in Abakaliki on Nov. 29.

NAN recalls that 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)

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