By Izunna Okafor, Awka
As part of the efforts towards realizing the vision of ensuring a livable and prosperous homeland, the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led Anambra State Government has stormed the streets of Awka, the capital city of the State, in search of beggars and those using children to beg.
The search and the apprehension of the people, which started on Tuesday is being carried out by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), which had earlier issued some public service announcements and warning notices weeks ahead of the enforcement that started at Aroma Junction, Awka.
According to a statement issued by the Spokesperson of the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, no fewer than 16 children and adults were apprehended during the raid.
Continuing, it said under the Aroma Junction Flyover has, for long, become a den of child beggars who are used by syndicates to beg for alms, including those of them who have no single physical or mental health challenge.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, gathered that, notorious among these persons were a particular young man with no health issues who had been arrested more than 14 times for alms begging; as well as another full-blooded man who pretends to be physically challenged and uses crutches to beg for alms, even while he has no single health challenge.
The statement reads in part: In line with Governor Soludo’s mandate of taking school children out from the streets, the Women and social welfare Commissioner, Hon. Ify Obinabo said the raid is not to make the children victims, but to use them to get at the syndicates that use them for begging.
“Obinabo also reiterated the state government’s stand in maintaining the low number of out-of-school-children in the state.
“On his part, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ACTDA, Hon. Ossy Onuko, said the operation was a welcomed development of taking children off the streets and assured of his agency’s support in ensuring that the needful is done, for the realization of the envisioned a liveable and prosperous homeland in Anambra.
“Meanwhile, it was a tough battle rounding up the street kids as they immediately fled as the enforcement team made to arrest them, with some of them putting up a fight. They were, however, rounded up and bundled into waiting vehicles and taken away.
“Obinabo said the operation would continue in all parts of Awka, to ensure that the town was rid of children being used by syndicates to beg for alms.
“After the operation, the identification of the children as well as adults began; and it was discovered that all the arrested individuals were not Indigenes of Anambra, as some were either from Ebonyi state or Enugu state.
“The Women Affairs boss assured that contact tracing of the parents of the kids would begin in earnest.
“Residents of the area say the children not only constitute an eyesore as they run around during school hours begging for alms, but have also constitute nuisance, as they always steal from people.”
