-to set up Special Team on enforcement
-rescues 728 children from begging, hawking
IBRAHIM QUADRI
Lagos State Goverment on Wednesday said the law banning begging and hawking on the streets in the State would be frimly enforced, noting such acts are constituting nuisance in the State.
There had been reported cases of robbers disguising as beggars in some parts of the State.
The State had also rescued children not less than 728 as a way of discouraging begging and hawking by underaged.
The State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Olusegun Dawodu made the disclosure during a press briefing at Alausa, Ikeja, saying there would be a Special Team for the purpose of the enforcement.
The Commissioner who was accompanied by his counterpart from Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso and the State Police boss, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, said that the Special Team would begin operation after the State might have carried out enlightenment.
The Special Team shall comprise, security personnel, social workers, care givers and volunteers.
Dawodu explained, “For the purpose of clarity on this issue, Section 157{1(b)and(e) of the Criminal Law 2015 States that nuisance is any person who prevents the public from having access to any part of a highway by an excessive and unreasonable use of it or does any unlawful act which causes inconveniences or damage to the public This is also well corroborated by Section 168 {1(b), (e)and (f)} as well as Section 276 which apart from prohibiting begging goes further to prescribe a penalty of Fifteen Thousand Naira (#15,000) for the first offence and for every subsequent offence to a time of Forty Five Thousand Naira (#45,000) or imprisonment for three months or both, An offender under this Section may be arrested without warrant.
“In the case of Children, Section 26 of the Childs Right Laws also makes this an offence. And Section 210 (7) prescribes a penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment.”
Dawodu said, “Beggars on our streets and roads constitute considerable nuisance to law abiding citizens who are entitled to go about their businesses without any fear or hindrance. This is what the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu promised Lagosians upon assumption of office. This is what it is delivering; this is what it will continue to deliver.
“Lagos State, with a population over 20 million people, is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Lagos State has representatives of all the ethnic groups in the nation with thousands coming into Lagos daily in search of a better life. The results of this influx of people are among others, pressure on infrastructure and societal ills.
“As a responsible and responsive government, the Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration will not fold its arms and watch the State become a haven for beggars, it will take action to curb this menace.
“Street begging is a social vice that we cannot afford to watch attain uncontrollable level before we act. Otherwise, all the good plans and programmes to transform our state would be adversely affected. The same goes for Street Hawking.
“This has become Big Business to some groups of people. Our investigation revealed that Beggars and Hawkers (Children and Adults) are transported regularly from other parts of the country to Lagos with the sole aim of doing this odious “business” that demeans humanity and abuses innocence in the case of children, who are being pushed into this degrading trade. These groups of people have turned alms begging and hawking into a huge Business by collecting returns from beggars and hawkers, who incidentally, sleep under the bridges, motor parks, uncompleted or abandoned buildings and other places not conducive for human habitation.
“If there is ever a time for us to roll up our sleeves and toil day and night for this menace to be confined to the dustbin of history in Lagos State, it is now.
“Intelligence reports have revealed that some of the so-called beggars go about with dangerous weapons, they assault and rob innocent Lagosians. Therefore, as a Government, we cannot afford to let this continue,” he said.
Giving further insight on the Special Team, it is “to tackle this menace frontally. The operation of this Special Team will commence in the next few days. The task we are undertaking is not only to sanitize our society, but also to restore the dignity of these set of people who have been sent on to the streets for alms begging and hawking.
“Therefore, to tackle this menace, the Lagos State Government through the Rehabilitation and Child Development Departments of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development has maintained a Rescue Unit saddled with the responsibility of rescuing and protecting the destitute and the vulnerable. This we do by combing the nooks and crannies of Lagos State to rescue and protect the destitute, mentally – challenged, street children and beggars off the streets; and after being rescued, Our Rehabilitation Centres and Child friendly Homes usually provide them with treatment, psychosocial therapy and vocational training with the aim of making them useful to themselves and the society.
He made an appeal, “Obviously, we cannot do this alone. Hence, we solicit the support of our religious and traditional leaders, political leaders at various levels as well as members of the press in the area of advocacy and enlightenment. All hands must be on deck to discourage this inhuman culture of street begging which has the capacity to adversely affect the wellbeing of Lagosians.
He disclosed that not less than 728 children had been rescued on the streets, saying those rescued are normally readmitted to their families.
Giving his own address, the Commissioner for Police, Hakeem Odumosu reiterated that in collaboration with the State government, it is the responsibility of the police to enforce laws in the State.
According to him, “Our mission is to let the members of the public know that the law has been existing in Lagos, this is the time to enforce it.”
He said the issue of street begging has become troubling, saying that it led to traffic congestion and robbery.
He recalled that some criminal suspects had been arrested, saying the command is ready to take miscreants off the streets.
