By John Joseph
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The House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards addressing the persistent issue of street begging in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Following the adoption of a motion presented by Hon. Bashiru Dawodu (APC, Lagos), the House has resolved to investigate the Abuja Rehabilitation Centre and the Social Protection Programmes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration.
The motion, which was adopted at plenary on Wednesday, highlighted the alarming rise of the ‘Almajiri’ syndrome in Abuja. The FCT Administration had prohibited street begging on October 22, 2024, with the aim of restoring the city’s image and enhancing security. However, the lawmaker noted that the majority of beggars in the FCT are individuals with disabilities, with other contributing factors including Almajiri, internally displaced persons, poverty, unemployment, and cultural factors.
Hon. Dawodu expressed concern that begging has become a long-standing social ill in Nigeria, with the FCT Administrations since 2003 declaring war on begging. However, the strategy has failed to provide a lasting solution, as beggars often return to their trade in different locations.
The lawmaker emphasized that the lack of effective long-term solutions, such as rehabilitation, monthly survival allowances, Almajiris feeding, and internally displaced persons resettlement, has resulted in endemic begging. Furthermore, the inadequate funding and ineffective social protection programmes have rendered street begging intractable.
In light of these concerns, the House mandated its Committee on Disabilities to conduct a thorough investigation of the Abuja Rehabilitation Centre and Social Protection Programmes of the FCT Administration. The committee is expected to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
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