Enugu govt renovates rehabilitation centre

The Enugu State government has embarked on the renovation of some dilapidated structures at the rehabilitation centre in Emene, the Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji has said.

In an interview with SouthEast Trust, Princess Nnaji, said structures being renovated included the two hostels, fencing of the entire premises and construction of toilet facilities in both male and female hostels.

She said the government has also purchased laptops, photocopying machine, printer, computers, generator set for the ICT Department.

She said necessary equipment have also been acquired for both the fashion and leather departments adding that inmates are already producing shoes and handbags, among others.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Centre, Emene was established in 1980 by the federal government to provide skill acquisition training to people with special needs.

She said the main challenge the ministry has in running the centre was the attitude of some people who encouraged the destitute persons to remain on the streets by giving them alms and also using them as ‘business ventures’.

“Our main challenge is basically the members of the society who encourage these beggars to come out to the streets to beg for alms. If they come out to the streets to beg and nobody gives them anything, they may go out of the streets. But because there are people who give them money in the name or alms, they come back to the streets.’’

She said that the best people could do to these destitute persons was to allow them to be where the government has provided for them to undergo training and rehabilitation and make them better citizens