The Anambra State Government has continued its ongoing effort to remove mentally ill individuals from major streets in line with a directive aimed at improving public safety and restoring order in urban areas across the state.
The operation is being coordinated by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Children and Women Affairs under the supervision of Commissioner Lady Ndidi Mezue, who personally led a recent relocation exercise in Awka, the state capital.
Identification and Relocation Exercise in Awka
During the latest operation, the relocation team identified several mentally ill individuals around strategic locations, including the UNIZIK Junction and Juhel Pharmacy Junction within the Awka metropolis.
The affected persons were carefully evacuated from the streets and transferred to the Nteje Home for Mentally Challenged Persons, where they are expected to receive care, rehabilitation, and social support in line with established welfare procedures.
Government Emphasises Welfare-Based Approach
Officials said the exercise is being conducted in accordance with the directive of the state government, which emphasizes humane treatment and structured rehabilitation rather than neglect or abandonment.
The Commissioner for Social Welfare, Children and Women Affairs, Lady Ndidi Mezue, has reportedly led multiple field operations since assuming office, with more than a dozen similar interventions carried out across different parts of the state.
Rehabilitation and Family Reintegration Efforts
According to the ministry, individuals relocated from the streets are taken to designated care facilities where they undergo assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation. Efforts are also made to trace and reconnect them with their families where possible.
The Nteje facility, which serves as a temporary shelter and rehabilitation centre, is supported by the Office of the Wife of the Governor, Her Excellency Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, who is involved in welfare and reintegration initiatives for affected persons.
Ongoing Statewide Operations
Authorities say the programme is part of a broader initiative to ensure that public spaces are free from vulnerable individuals requiring institutional care, while also ensuring they receive appropriate medical attention and social support.
The state government has reiterated its commitment to continuing the exercise across major urban centres in Anambra as part of its social welfare and public safety strategy.
