Edo State Ministry Reunites Rehabilitated Togolese National with Family
The Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has successfully reunited a rehabilitated Togolese national, Mr. Micheal, with his family after months of treatment and rehabilitation.
Micheal was among several mentally challenged persons rescued from the streets during a special operation organised by the Ministry to remove vulnerable persons roaming the streets and provide them with comprehensive medical care, rehabilitation and psychosocial support aimed at restoring their mental health and facilitating their reintegration into society.
Handing Micheal over to his brother on behalf of the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Eugenia Abdallah, the Director of Rehabilitation Services, Mr. Sylvester Okoeguale, said the successful rehabilitation and reunion reflect the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and restoring hope to individuals experiencing mental health challenges.
According to Hon. Abdallah, the intervention is in line with the Ministry’s mandate to provide care, rehabilitation and social reintegration for vulnerable and disadvantaged persons in Edo State.
She noted that the Ministry will continue to implement programmes and initiatives that promote the welfare, dignity and inclusion of vulnerable members of society.
The Commissioner advised members of the public to desist from engaging in acts capable of affecting their mental health, particularly substance abuse and other harmful practices.
She urged individuals and families to seek prompt medical and psychological assistance whenever signs of mental illness are noticed, while encouraging communities to support and show compassion to persons living with mental health conditions rather than stigmatising or abandoning them.
Micheal’s brother who travelled from Togo after learning of his brother’s situation in Nigeria, expressed profound appreciation to the Edo State Government and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for rescuing, treating and rehabilitating him.
He disclosed that the family had searched tirelessly for Micheal in Togo for a long time before eventually receiving information that he had been found in Nigeria and was undergoing rehabilitation in Edo State.
Describing the reunion as a dream come true, he commended the Ministry for its humanitarian intervention and prayed for God’s continued blessings upon the Edo State Government and all those who contributed to his brother’s recovery.
Daisy Osunde
Director of Media
MWASD
