From: Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has disclosed that it has spent about N20 million on clothing, feeding of orphans, inmates at juvenile home and Psychiatric hospital, at Jega during Ramadan and Eid-el-Fitri celebrations.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Alimat Dikko, stated this in Birnin-Kebbi, during a press conference.
The Ministry has been without Commissioner since present administration took over on May 29,2015 and Permanent Secretaries have directing the affairs of the Ministry.
Briefing journalists on the activities of the Ministry, Dikko disclosed that the Ministry has 42 inmates at Juvenile home and 45 children, 10 adults at orphanage home that are taken care for by state government.
She disclosed that the Ministry was awaiting the state’s House of Assembly to pass the Child Rights Bill to enforce rights of children and stop streets begging by them.
Her words: ” We have 42 inmates at the remand home but the number continue fluctuating because those that were treated, we discharge them to go about their normal life and join their families.
” We also have 45 children, ten adults at orphanage home. We have some of these children in private schools,tertiary institutions and state government is doing a lot on their welfare.”.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed that inmates of juvenile homes including destitute are expose to vocational skills such as tailoring,welding and Computer training to enable them be self reliance whenever they are free from the rehabilitation centre.
She further said that 50 women were treated at the Ministry Clinic for Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF).
The Permanent Secretary added that the Ministry would commence disbursing of Federal Government loan for women entrepreneurs in the state