Social Welfare Development Secretariat under the Federal Capital Territory Administration says it will rehabilitate and possibly repatriate street hawkers and destitute prosecuted by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).
The Acting Director of the secretariat, Mrs Felicia Nwogu, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that the move was to discourage street begging and hawking in the FCT.
The Nwogu, who spoke on the sideline of the prosecution of some hawkers by the AEPB in the FCT, said the rehabilitation was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda to carter for the plights of the masses.
She said the secretariat had currently trained more than 108 destitute and hawkers in metal works, tailoring, beads making and computer appreciation.
According to her, the exercise will be continuous to provide alternative means of livelihood for them.
The acting director said that arrangements were also underway to provide mobile kiosks for the hawkers at rightly designated places for their businesses.
“Let them form themselves into cooperatives and organised groups so that these kiosks will help in their empowerment.
“We are going to have designated places for selling here in the FCT and such people will have their own places to sell.
“For those that were apprehended last week, we have taken custody of about 88 of them and out of these, we have sorted those who will be sent back to their states.
“Right now, we have about 108 awaiting graduation, they have been trained in various skills like tailoring, beads making, computer appreciation for those slightly illiterates,’’ she said.
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