BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
Barring efforts by the Oyo State Government to rid Ibadan, the state capital of street beggars, checks have shown that some beggars are gradually returning to their locations.
Investigation by The Point shows that a few beggars are now back to the MokolaUnderbridge area, Jemibewon Road, Oja Oba Market area as well as Sango.
It was, however, observed that while the beggars at MokolaUnderbridge, who are mainly women (about three) sat at their original location, opposite Wema Bank, the few ones that were seen at Sango, Oja Oba, Jemibewon Road and Bodija market were plying their trade on the move.
Those who spoke with our correspondent, while commending the Governor SeyiMakinde administration on the efforts to rid the streets of Ibadan of beggars, noted that the battle against beggars would, however, not be an easy win.
According to ToriolaAdeleke, a trader, at Mokola Roundabout area of the city, high influx of northerners down south has increased the population of the beggars in Ibadan.
Adeleke said, “If you carry out a check on the population of beggars in Oyo State today, you would find out that the northers are more into it.”
YinusaGbadamosi, an office executive at Dugbe area of the city, said that efforts to rid the streets of beggars might not be easy as a result of the harsh economy.
“Majority of people can hardly make ends meet so you cannot afford to rule out the possibility of people who engage in begging. When they can’t fend for themselves and there are no jobs to do, the next thing is to result to begging,” he said.
A businessman at Oja Oba, Ibadan, BiliaminuOjo, noted that begging became a big and thriving industry because the society believes in it and also supports it.
Ojo said, “Before now, there were many beggars colonies in Ibadan just as there were many other street beggars who go about on crutches, wheelchairs, wheelbarrows, scooters with many others even crawling or creeping to beg.
‘Getting that practice or way of life phased out overnight may not be realistic. However, what is sure is that if government is truly committed and are not trying to leave a mere impression on the minds of the people, the fight would be won at the end of the day and we would be better for it as a people.
Recall that the state government had successfully evacuated the beggars out of their various colonies in Ibadan about three weeks ago.
The latest effort was the relocation of 14 mentally ill and 86 destitute from Ibadan barely a forth night ago. The beggars were picked up at Mokola, Jemibewon, Challenge, Sango, Orita-UI and Ojoo areas of the state capital.
Officials of Ministries of Environment and that of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion confirmed that the last exercise was third of its kind in the ongoing year, 2021.
The officials had described the exercise as “quite challenging” stating, however that security backup aided the success of the operation.
The relocation of the beggars to the Rescue Centre, situated at Akinyele village, according to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs. Christiana Abioye, would help to
ensure that the lives of the destitute and that of the general public were safe and secured.
She explained that it would enable the state to profile them, adding, “The presence of the destitute in the society poses danger as some of them could be agents for criminals,
While allaying the fear that the beggars might soon return to the streets, she said that the exercise is continuous and the well-being of all the evacuees would be ensured.
Adeoye said, “Government will feed the evacuees at the Rescue Centre three times a day. The facility is habitable. Those who are mentally ill will be moved to the psychiatric section at the Adeoyo State Hospital, Ring Road, for medical attention.”
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health , Dr. MufutauAyoola, said a team of medical personnel were on ground to attend to the health challenges of any of the evacuees, hence, the possibility of outbreak of any disease at the Centre is ruled out.
Most of the beggars had complained of hard time prior to their relocation to the centre as a result of low rate of alms being given by the people following the allegation that some elements in the society took to buying money from beggars for ritual purposes.
The SerikinHausawa of Hausa Community, Oja’ba, Ibadan, Imam AbubakarAbdullahi, appealed to the state government to ensure that the welfare of the beggars are well and continually address.
