By Adebisi Adeyemi, Lagos
Oyo State Government at the weekend evacuated 12 destitute and handed them over to Almighty God Compassion Home for rehabilitation.
Also, the state government has re-united three children apprehended under Mokola bridge with their families. The three children are Sadiq from Inalende, Kehinde from Ogbere-Pegba and Owoade from Iseyin area of the state.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community Development and Social Welfare, Mrs. Atinuke Osunkoya, who led the crew of Social workers to some areas in Ibadan, expressed the government readiness to get rid of destitute from the state.
Atinuke stated that the destitute, Homeless children and the mentally deranged would be evacuated in order not to constitute a menace to the society, explaining that out of the 12 children handed over to the orphanage home, eleven were homeless and one was mentally deranged.
The Commissioner said that most of the destitute on the streets and under bridges have a right to participation and survival, stressing that homeless children as well as physically challenged apprehended would be counseled and given a chance to have good living either by re-uniting them with them with their families or taking them to collaborating non-Governmental organisations.
Osunkoya therefore urged parents to take good care of their wards, discourage them from loitering as well as desist from using them to beg for alms, warning that any parent who explores the innocence of his/her children to constitute a nuisance to the society will face the wrath of the law.
She assured that the state government would continue to maintain a healthy, clean and serene environment, noting that government would not relent in its efforts to create a better life for all its citizens.
Leading the Government Officials to re-unite the three children with their families, the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Chief Isaac Ishola reiterated the state government’s policy of safety of life and property for all and sundry, urging that parents should take adequate care of their children as many of these children are products of broken homes or parental maltreatment.
