By Jimmy
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, during plenary deliberated on the idea of a law to curb street begging across the state.
The law, if it comes into existence, will also penalize the encouragement of street begging by residents. This means it will be an offense to give alms to a street beggar.
According to the lawmakers, criminal elements disguised as beggars have taken over the streets in the state.
READ: Ikeja: List of projects Tinubu brought to Lagos’ capital as governor
The increasing population of beggars and street hawkers in Lagos has become an eyesore as they now constitute environmental hazards as well as security threats. There have been instances when a few of these so-called beggars and hawkers were discovered to be agents of daredevil criminals.
Begging is an age-long activity prominent in urban centers where it is common to see the physically challenged, visually impaired, deaf, and even supposedly stranded visitors (famously referred to as corporate beggars) milling in walkways, street corners, religious centers, etc., begging for alms.
While some of these beggars are genuinely in need, others simply want to catch on the legendary generosity of Lagosians to eke out a living.
As it is, the menace of beggars in Lagos has reached an alarming dimension. This is despite regular rescue operations carried out by the rescue team of the State’s Rehabilitation Department. Beggars of different categories have continued to be common sights across the state, resulting in negative effects on traffic management and security.
Investigation has shown that both menaces have become big business to some groups of people, as beggars and hawkers (children and adults) are transported regularly from other parts of the country to Lagos with the sole aim of engaging in the detestable and demeaning venture.
SEE: Top 10 places to propose in Ikeja
Armed with a fake Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, prescription paper, 56-year-old Kehinde Olatubosun, a drug addict and an indigene of Oyo State, once confessed to making about N300,000 monthly from unsuspecting Lagos residents through begging.
Street begging has, thus, been identified as a means of defrauding as well as a source of insecurity in the state.
While it is not inappropriate to give alms to beggars, their activities have, however, suggested otherwise. People now hide under the pretext of begging to dispossess members of the public of their valuables, either on the road or in their residences.
A report had it that a beggar who was given alms during the day led his group of armed robbers to attack his benefactor at night. Also, some beggars have been discovered to be accomplices in various forms of crimes.
READ: Davido vs Abu Salami: 10 things you should know about N218m debt
According to a statement on Tuesday, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, agreed with the lawmakers at plenary that criminal elements had taken over the streets disguised as beggars.
Reacting to the motion brought by Abiodun Orekoya and some of his colleagues, Obasa noted how previous administrations in the state made efforts to curb street begging, but that the challenge had not abated.
He stressed the need for a law that would criminalize street begging and penalize individuals who give money to beggars on the roads.
“When we address the source, then we can curb it. When you go on the road, you find children within the ages of five and six begging. It means there are established groups of people benefitting from this. They warehouse and provide for them.
“Beyond the Child Rights Law, we should come up with another law that speaks to begging and giving. We must come up with genuine laws and institutions that handle begging.”
The Speaker said the proposed law should aim to establish a centre where individuals who wish to give alms can do so, while the centre would ensure that the alms reach those in need.
“The law will create a fund to be managed by people with integrity so that if you are in need, you would go there,” he said.
He said while this would help people fulfil their religious beliefs about almsgiving, it would also help curb street begging, reduce crime on the road and promote greater responsibility among residents.
Recommended posts:
Lagos traffic: Road users groan, hawkers smile to the bank
“Leave her, begging is her destiny”: Nigerian man calls out a beggar he helped who went back to begging in the streets
Tough days for street hawkers, beggars as Lagos Taskforce set to begin arrest
Ogun community, where car owners can’t drive by
