FCTA to improve on lives of vulnerable, less privileged

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Social Development Secretariat Secretary, Alhaji Ladi Hassan, says it is the mandate of the department to improve on the lives of the vulnerable, children and less privileged in the territory.

Hassan stated this at a news briefing on the activities of the secretariat on Monday in Abuja.

He said this in line with the present administration agenda to provide skill acquisition for those who were unemployed including the arrested commercial sex workers, beggars and hawkers.

According to him, we will ensure that when those arrested are handed over to us we will commence training them in skill acquisition as there is provision for this in the 2018 budget.

“It also goes with some stipend of at least N50, 000 to add value to their lives, especially the commercial sex workers.

“The centre at Lugbe where we used for their rehabilitation is laying fallow but the contract for its repair has been awarded in the 2017 budget, in the couple of weeks work will commence,’’ he said.

On elderly people, the secretary said it was the responsibility of the society to take care of them, saying that some of them did not have children to cater for them.

He said that was the reason the secretariat celebrated with them on the International Day of the Elderly with services including free medical outreach, distribution of mosquito nets and other food items.

Hassan said it was part of the mandate of the secretariat to oversee important social imperatives and to provide poverty alleviation programmes for vulnerable, disadvantaged groups and communities.

The secretary assured the youths that they would also be fully engaged in 2018.