The Ministry of Women Affairs is
supposed to be the advocate for all that concerns women in the society;
however, it has been noted that many women, for diverse reasons, are on the
street begging for alms with children most especially twins and triplets. It is
a saddening situation because women at the helm of affairs have not been able
to fashion out a solution to those at the lower rung of the society.
The society is such an unruly
one; young men are sexually active but are not willing to take up fatherly
role; women who do not want to work desire the best form of livelihood for themselves
and their children. We can continue to identify the basis of these societal
ills; howbeit, we need to be firm in asserting that anyone who is not ready to
work should not also eat.
It is an aberration that people
want to survive on alms; I cannot fathom the amount that would be made from
alms neither would I agree that it is dignifying to beg for alms. There are
people who earn paltry sum of money on monthly basis and they find it rewarding
to be employed even as menial staff than being a burden on someone or the
society.
Many times, officers of the Kick
Against Indiscipline (KAI) of Lagos State, has gone to pick women and children
begging for alms on the street but within a short period; they would return to
the same spot where they were picked from. Do they bribe their way out? Are
they released to return to their vocation of ‘begging’? These questions equally
beg for answers.
This is a time for the Ministry
of Women Affairs and Social Development to wake up to the task of really caring
for women. It is an age-long saying that ‘whoever trains a girl child trains a
nation’. There is a need to practically demonstrate this and not paying
lip-service to it.
The departments under this
ministry namely Child development, Women and Gender Affairs, Social Welfare,
Rehabilitation, General and Economic Services should be strengthened and they
should put into action all the mercenaries at their disposal if we need to get
out of this mess that has become a norm in our society.
Also, there are certain decisive
actions that must be taken in order to stop street begging of women. Some of
these steps include, taking their children to social welfare department for
adequate care and education. Any child/ren taken from a begging mother should
be taken to the orphanage or other social welfare department for care. These
children would also have the opportunity of going to a government school
because most times they remain on the same spot with their mother using them to
gain empathy from passerby. This is a way of breaking the chain of poverty and
its mentality on these children. It will also break the chain of producing more
street-urchins.
In furtherance of this, the
begging mothers should be moved to one of the government owned skills
acquisition centres. This will in turn increase the number of skilled labour,
artisans and entrepreneurs that we have in the society. This is one of the
simplest things that can be done by the government to change the lot of
unskilled mothers.
The ministry also needs the
support of the National Orientation Agency so as to educate people on the
dangers of pushing out their teens who impregnate or gets pregnant. One would
see that of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria; the act of begging is
more prominent among two groups asides those from neighbouring countries. One
of the groups believe that it is an act of God as such, some will have to be at
the mercies of others while another group assumes that it is the easiest means
of surviving. If NOA addresses this problem from through the traditional
rulers; there would be a reduction in begging for alms.
There is a need to entrench moral,
cultural and traditional values in all children regardless of age. Any sexually
active person must understand the pro and cons of the escapades. You cannot
impregnate a girl/lady and think the way out is to abscond neither would you lie
on your back for a young man without thinking of the outcome of such
‘enjoyment’. Everyone has a defined role and limit in the days when our
cultural and traditions values held sway.
Lastly, it will be a concerted
effort to overcome the issue of street begging in the society. Regardless of
the attempts by successive governments to bring it to an end; some people are
obstinate believing that is the gateway to their sustenance. Let us ensure that
we rid our immediate environment of beggars by finding a lasting solution to
their challenges. Employ them; advise them and get their children educated. The
Ministry of Women Affairs should teach people how to fish and not just dole out
fishes.
Olutayo IRANTIOLA
19th November 2015.
9:50am