Wale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to create a database for all arrested beggars and destitutes that are taken to the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre, Kuchiko, in Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
The FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, said the establishment of the database would avail the administration adequate information on those arrested as well as affording the government the opportunity to make adequate arrangement for repatriation.
Bello made the announcement when he and the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, paid an unscheduled visit to the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre.
He also directed the FCT Social Development Secretariat to ensure that all those arrested are captured in the database for easy referencing.
He instructed the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the FCT Task Team on Environment to after the arrest of beggars and destitute, assemble and register them before taking them to the vocational centre where the social development staff will officially receive and hand them over to the management of the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre.
The minister also directed the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre headed by Bala Tsoho, to commence the process of repatriation of the beggars and destitute in earnest in line with the extant rules to their various states of origin where the social welfare officials in such states are to receive them officially.
He seized the opportunity to inspect the new borehole dug for the Centre by the FCT Administration and further directed that overhead tanks be provided and installed for immediate use by the inmates.
Tsoho said 145 new beggars and destitute were recently brought into the centre.
He reiterated that the welfare of the inmates especially regular feeding has drastically improved since the minister came on board.
