The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Hon. Magnus Abe, says the present administration in the state is set to affect the lives of the poor and destitute.

Hon. Abe made the promise while unveiling renovated hostels and facilities at the Iriebe Rehabilitation Centre on Thursday.

He stated that the present administration would want to make sure every person in the state becomes a functional member of the society no matter his or her situation, saying that the aim is to clear the streets of destitute, and insane people.

In addition to rehabilitation, Abe said the government is building a process whereby all would have a stake in the resources of the state.

He thus called on members of the public to assist in taking care of destitutes and mentally-deranged people, saying that the responsibility cannot be solely left for the government alone.

He called on the managers of the facility to maintain it well since it is part of their contribution in building the state.

In his remark, Chairman of the state Rehabilitation Committee, Chief Albert Horsfall, while commending the authorities in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation said the present administration has done so much for the less privileged in society.

“A new dawn has come to Rivers State,” he said, but noted that the state should not be a place to far habouring destitute because “ there is abundance everywhere.”

He recalled that after the civil war in 1970, Rivers State, unlike other states, did not have destitutes or refugees because the people harboured their brothers and sisters who were disempowered after the crisis.

Chief Horsfall commended the officials of the facility and the Iriebe community for their good disposition in ‘accommodating the inmates of the centre.

Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, and Executive chairman of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Hon. Timothy Nsirim, speaking through an aide, Ikechi Okpobiri, described the facility as a major project to tackle the problem of the society.

He prayed the government to continue the good works it is doing to transform the state, while calling on the managers to maintain the facility.

Earlier in her welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs. Louisa Ezinwo, disclosed that though the centre was initially built as a widows rehabilitation centre, the government deemed it fit for use as a rehabilitation centre for destitute, beggars and vagrant lunatics.

She stated that the renovation had become necessary due to the gloving decay of the facility. Beside, she said, the increase in the ministry’s overhead also led to the refurbishment.

Among the updated facility are a furnished one hundred bed space hostel, a new dinning room and kitchen, a waiting hall and a new toilet system.

She also expressed appreciation over the manner the Iriebe Council of Chiefs have hosted the facility, despite the challenges.