Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has advised the federal government to embark on more empowerment programmes that will better the lives of Nigerians.
NSCDC Commandant in Oyo State, Mr Micheal Adaralewa gave the advice during the grand finale of a 3-day workshop organised by the Oyo State Branch of Civil Defence Officers Wives’ Association, CDOWA.
Mr Adaralewa said though, the government was facilitating numerous training programmes for the people, more still needed to be done, especially as the nation was facing an economic meltdown to open different sources of income to the people.
He noted that the Batik and Adire making vocational training organised by CDOWA would go a long way in lifting their financial status.
The NSCDC boss stated further that, regular vocational training would discourage over-dependence on white-collar jobs.
The Chairperson of CDOWA who is also the wife of the NSCDC Commandant in Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Adaralewa said the workshop became imperative to assist women in order not to become a liability to their husbands and society at large.
Mrs. Adaralewa said CDOWA was established with the mission of helping its members to give support to their husbands to enhance their efficiency in discharging their duty.
She, therefore, urged the participants to ensure proper use of the knowledge they acquired during the training.
Contributing, Commissioner of Women Affairs, Community Development and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Kafilat Olayiwola said women should always see themselves as mothers of the nation.
Alhaja Olayiwola who spoke through the Deputy Director, Women Program Department, Mrs. Ibeyin Abeo urged the participants to endeavour to share the knowledge they acquired with others.
The Oyo State Government, yesterday rescued some victims of an accident which occurred at exactly 4:37 am involving two trailers that rammed into the Resettlement centre, Akinyele Ibadan.
According to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Kafilat Olayiwola, the accident was a result of brake failure which left two persons dead, while three with varying degrees of injuries, were quickly rescued and taken to a nearby Government hospital.
She said, “We received a call about the accident that happened at the Resettlement centre and immediately we responded. When we got there, an eyewitness told us that a trailer loaded with rice hit another vehicle as a result of brake failure, one rammed into the fence up to the female hostel while the other trailer collapsed on another perimeter fence”.
“As I speak, the injured ones are receiving and responding to treatment in the Government hospital, nearby while the corpses have been buried according to Islamic rites”.
While Alhaja Olayiwola condoled with the community over the death of their loved ones, she also enjoined drivers to take necessary precautions before driving, as this will avert such sad incidents.
The government of Oyo State, on Wednesday, again evacuated over 400 beggars and destitute within the Ibadan metropolis.
It equally declared its plans to provide another resettlement centre for the beggars and destitute in the capital city.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Kafilat Olayiwola, stated this when she led the raiding team on the evacuation of beggars and destitute from Jemibewon/Mokola/Sango University of Ibadan main gate.
Other areas captured during the evacuation exercise include Challenge/Oja’ba, Oje/Bodija, Iwo Road/Gbagi and Basorun Akobo routes.
While speaking with the journalists shortly after the exercise, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Olayiwola explained that the government is hell-bent on returning sanity by ensuring that beggars and the destitute keep off the streets and roads.
She said: “The government of the day is not interested in seeing the destitute and beggars on our roads without being fed and looking battered. As a result of this, the government provided a settlement for them, where they can be well fed, given proper health care and enjoy other facilities but we still discovered that they go outside to beg and do other things that this government seriously frowns at.”
“Yes, the government is planning to provide another settlement area for them apart from the one here in Akinyele. Though we have returned some of these beggars, who have been rehabilitated back to their families, having taken their profile and know where they belonged.”
“The next thing we are planning to do now is to employ security guards to take control of the gates so as to prevent them from going outside to beg for alms.”
“When we went out today to raid markets and neighboring streets, we were able to evacuate over 400 of them back into the settlement the government has provided for them and we are still expecting more.”
“We all know that the focus of this administration is to ensure the lives of the less privileged are improved upon and that is what it has been doing.”
“The destitute and beggars in Oyo State need care, affection, rehabilitation and resettlement. All these have been taken care of by the state government. But despite the care and comfort being given to them at the resettlement centre in Akinyele, we have observed that some of them are very stubborn to the extent that they still stray back to the street but the government is hell-bent on ensuring that they stay at the provided centre.”
“We want to make sure that we enforce the law and implement their full stay in the centre. The government will continue to do this as we now raid in the afternoon and evening hours. So, we are ready to tackle the stubbornness of these destitute.”
“Also, we sincerely appreciate the level of cooperation of the citizenry on this development. They have been so supportive and we will continue with the exercise until they comply with the orders of the state government.”
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Christiana Abioye noted that necessary attention and more facilities have been provided for the evacuees to make it more habitable and conducive for them.
“We see no reason why they should not stay here just as the government has directed. We will not rest on our oars until we rid the state of them totally,” She added.
Meanwhile, a resident of Oyo State, Mr Wasiu Gunwa, expressed joy on the evacuation exercise, as he affirmed that the beggars create all sorts of problems in the environment.
Mr Gunwa prayed for the government to do more so as to ameliorate the challenges of the less privileged.
Oyo State government has announced renewed plans to bring back some of the beggars who have left the Akinyele Resettlement Centre.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Kafilat Olayiwola, stated this during an assessment visit to the facility, saying that the state government is willing to accede to some other urgent requests made by the destitute.
She appealed to philanthropic residents to patronize beggars, destitute urchins at the Akinyele resettlement, saying this is the best way to treat them.
The commissioner explained that adequate care has been given to the evacuees at the new facility, which, according to her, is more habitable and conducive.
She said: “Firstly, I want to appreciate the effort of the governor concerning what he has done here. We even have some people in other states who have acknowledged the fact that the good things happening here are not being experienced in their own states. So, it is a great privilege”.
“Concerning those among the destitute leaving this settlement the state government has provided for them, we have interviewed them and they told us that it is because those who give them food no longer come inside the settlement. So, they had to be going outside to get the food from those people. They said if the people will be coming inside to give them food, they won’t have any cause to go outside of this environment”.
“In view of this, I want to urge some of our people who give them food to always try and come into the main resettlement centre because this is the best way to treat the destitute. We should stop giving them stuffs outside”.
“In any case, I have assured them that some of the requests they have made will be tabled before His Excellency, who we know is very kind and I believe the requests will be granted. Also, we will take every necessary step to ensure that those that go outside are returned and remain inside”.
“Another good development about this is, we are making provision for food for them and they don’t complain about that. I have walked around this resettlement and I have seen that the state government has really done well for the destitute. I commend the government for the infrastructure put in place for them and I believe many more things will come for them.”
The permanent secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Christiana Abosede expressed satisfaction with the state of the resettlement centre, stressing that the state government would continue to take good care of the Residents, in as much they stay in the designated camp.
She maintained that efforts are on top gear to recapture those that have absconded the camp to continue their begging business in some major streets of Ibadan.
In their reactions, destitute, beggars met on the ground appreciated the Governor Makinde led administration for providing basic needs for them within the camp.
They however charged the state government to maintain its stand and dislodge those beggars that are floating other colonies on major streets of Ibadan.
