Lagos State Government has approved the adoption of 172 babies rescued in the last one year, Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, Bolaji Ogunlende, has said.
According to him, within April 2023 and March 20234, 753 beggars, destitute and mentally-challenged persons were rehabilitated.
Ogunlende, while giving account of the ministry’s stewardship in the last one year, said the government is also training and empowering rehabilitating destitutes and mentally-challenged persons with vocational training and empowerment schemes
According to him, the ministry is also partnering with the Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) to provide robust information on the youth population in the state, so as to guide government in policy making and planning for them.
He added: “During the year under review, the ministry also received 1,115 applications for child adoption; 995 were processed for local adoption, 54 for international adoption, 28 for relatives and 38 for revalidation of approval. Two Adoption Panels were conducted during the period and 332 applications were approved.
“The ministry is also working closely with the House of Assembly Committee on Youths, Sports and Social Development, to tighten up laws prohibiting begging to ensure that punishments and penalties based on extant laws serve the purpose of deterrent.
“About 90 men and 35 women involved in drug abuse and addictive substances were admitted into the Rehabilitation and Vocational training centres in Ajah and Isheri.”
