Lagos State government approved the adoption of 172 rescued babies across the state in the last one year.
The state government also said within April 2023 and March 2024, it has rehabilitated 753 beggars, destitute and mentally challenged persons across the state.
The state commissioner for youths, sports and social development, Bolaji Ogunlende, made this disclosure at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre when he led top officials of the ministry to give an account of stewardship in his ministry at the ongoing ministerial press briefing.
Ogunlede said the state is also training and empowering rehabilitated destitute and mentally-challenged persons with vocational training and empowerment schemes.
He said his ministry, in order to provide robust information on the youth population in the state, is partnering with the Lagos Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) with a view to guiding the government in policy making, planning and adequate provision for them.
During the year under review, the ministry also received 1,115 applications for child adoption. Nine hundred and ninety-five of them were processed for local adoption, 54 for international adoption, 28 for relatives and 38 for revalidation of approval.
He added that two adoption panels were conducted during the period where 332 applications got approvals.
While averring that the menace of begging was assuming a dimension of concern in the state, Ogunlende said the ministry is working closely with the state House of Assembly, through the Committee on Youths, Sports and Social Development, to tighten up laws prohibiting begging so as to ensure that punishments and penalties based on extant laws serve the purpose of deterrent.
He stated that a total of 90 men and 35 women involved in drug abuse and addictive substances were admitted into the state’s Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centres in Ajah and Isheri.
