The Rivers Government says it will take measures towards discouraging chronically ill persons from wandering and begging along the streets.
Rivers Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, said this while speaking to newsmen after a strategic committee meeting on the removal of chronically ill persons from streets in Port Harcourt.
She said that the presence of people with chronic and contagious diseases along major streets in the state capital was on the increase.
According to her, such ill persons wander in the company of other physically fit persons to seek alms from the public.
The deputy governor further said that the presence of such persons on the streets had negative health implication on the public.
“We have decided to take steps towards putting such persons off the streets due to the public health risk they pose.
“It is not a good thing to encourage; in most cases, such vulnerable persons are contrived to beg for money to the detriment of their health by their exploiters,’’ he said.
Banigo further said that putting chronically ill persons off the roads would protect them from further exploitation and avail them time for better upkeep.
She commended the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul, an NGO, and the National Orientation Agency for their commitment towards realizing this objective.
In his remark, the committee Chairman, Iminabo Fubara said the essence of the move was to tackle the plight of chronically ill persons by freeing them from exploitation by their supposed care-givers. (NAN)