NAN-H-64
Marriage
By Bukola Adewumi
Abuja, March 23, 2017 (NAN) The Social Welfare Department of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) says it successfully reconciled no fewer than 200 floundering marriages in 2016.
Mrs Ramatu Abdulrahman, the Head of the department, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
“We have reconciled over 200 people who were supposed to have be separated by now; we were able to settle and unite them.
“For those who were pregnant out of wedlock, we were able to intervene and settle them.
“Even if they would not marry each other, we ensured that the man brings some allowance to cater for the woman’s needs.’’
Abdulrahman further said that the department also recorded success on the issue of abandoned children.
“When they bring those children to us, we take them to the Federal Department of Social Welfare (FDSC), since we have not been authorised to keep them or adopt them.
“But we give them first hand care immediately they bring them.’’
Abdulrahman said that the department was able to also re-unite one female child with her family in Niger State.
She further said that Dangote Group of Companies and Smile Project, an NGO, donated some items which were distributed vulnerable children and care givers.
On the challenges confronting the welfare department, Abdulrahman said it had funding constraints and lacked lack of operational vehicles and a good environment to welcome clients and have proper discussions.
“We lack financial backing to help us operate well in AMAC; Social Welfare Department is supposed to have an operational vehicle so that whenever we are called, we can respond, but we don’t have all these.
“ We also need a place we can do our work without distractions,’’ she said. (NAN
BOL/OIF/TA/NKO
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