The All Progressive Congress, (APC) has blamed the alarming increase of the population of destitute, beggars, lunatics and children roaming the streets of Benin City, the Edo State capital, on the collapse of State rehabilitation facilities due to official neglect and poor funding by the Governor Obaseki-led PDP government
The State Chairman of the APC, Col Dr. David Imuse rtd in a statement signed by Victor Osehobo, the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the party, said the party has found that the menace, appear to have witnessed an upsurge with the absence of a functional Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development.
Col Imuse also argued that another factor is the failure on the part of the Obaseki government to articulate a realistic policy necessary to regularly rid the streets of such deranged people who besides being innocent nuisance by soliciting for alms, pose threat to public peace.
He said, “The unending infighting in the PDP government led by Mr Obaseki, which has deprived the State of a Cabinet of Civil Commissioners and Special Advisers, has not helped matters.
“Forget the claims by the government about its socalled benevolence to healthy citizens, even in the peak of the Covid19 pandemic, don’t these people also need government attention in the area of clothing, feeding and healthcare?
“Only a people-centred government knows that it has a duty to periodically organize a massive exercise to get these people off the Streets, or even realize that such moves would also help a great deal in strengthening the already precarious security situation in the state”.
Col Imuse then called on the Edo State government to as a matter of priority remove these people from the streets, by providing adequate funds for the rehabilitation centres to give them needed care and rehabilitation after which they can be released to their relations.#