Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has demanded that the state government immediately evacuate beggars from the streets of the State capital, Uyo.
The lawmakers, passed
a resolution on Thursday to that effect, after considering a motion presented
by the member representing Oruk-Anam State Constituency, Udo Kieran.
The Assembly,
therefore, directed the commissioner for women affairs to work with the Uyo
Capital City Development Authority to ensure that the resolution was thoroughly
implemented.
The Assembly said that
some of the beggars who are underage children would be rehabilitated in
children’s home or other rehabilitation facilities in the state.
The majority leader of
the House, Udo Kieran told the Assembly that the increasing rate of beggars and
their daily activities in Uyo was becoming embarrassing, and should be checked,
especially with the current security situation in the country.
He pointed out also
that the sight of beggars almost everywhere within the city of Uyo was capable
of affecting the people of the State psychologically.
“On daily basis, most
especially in the afternoons and evenings, women and children stand at
strategic junctions cuddling babies and toddlers begging for alms,” Kieran had
said, while arguing his motion.
“These beggars, who
are mostly non-indigenes of Akwa Ibom State, stand at Two-Lane junction by Ibom
Hall, the Ibom Plaza, among other places.”
A member representing
Ibesikpo Asutan, Aniekan Uko while proposing the motion, noted that the beggars
couldn’t have been Akwa Ibom indigenes because, according to him, begging was
alien to the people’s culture and tradition.
Another member
representing Ibiono Ibom, Ime Okon argued that an average Akwa Ibom person
would do everything to protect his dignity, and would not find it dignifying to
engage in streets begging.
The Speaker, Onofiok Luke,
while commending members for being sensitive to issues affecting the people of
the state, called on security operatives to live up to their responsibilities
by finding out where beggars sleep and their mission in the state.
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