Kaduna: Beggars, hawkers dare state government over ban
Despite the ban on street begging, hawking and operation of commercial motorcycles in Kaduna, these activities still continue.
Beggars and hawkers in Kaduna have defied the state government’s ban on street begging, hawking and activities of commercial motorcycles in the state capital and environs. The state government had after a Security Council meeting last week Tuesday place on a ban on these activities explaining that the decision was reached to maintain law and order in the state based on intelligence report of security threat to lives and properties.
Our reporter who visited some areas in the state metropolis observed hawkers still plying their trade just as beggars too were seen in the streets.
It would be recalled that in April, 2016, the Kaduna State House of Assembly passed into law a bill banning these activities. The bill was signed into law by Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i in May. The law, however, had not been enforced as it met with criticisms from different quarters.
The recent pronouncement by the State Security Council was said to be with immediate effect and to remain in force till further notice. It directed law enforcement agencies to begin implementation of the restrictions.
While the ban is still in place, Daily Trust on Sunday observed hawkers in areas including NEPA and Station roundabout, Kawo, Rabah road junction along Kawo road and Command junction along Kachia road. Also, from Mando roundabout to Abuja road junction, there are many hawkers and beggars at strategic along the expressway.
For the commercial motorcyclist, only a very few are sighted on major roads as many now operate within various communities.
A bread hawker, Yahaya Ahmed, said doing so is his last resort and that stopping him is like taking away food from his family. He appealed to the state government to temper justice with mercy and consider providing an alternative if hawking must be stopped.
Another hawker, Musa Bello, who sells liquid soap, urged the state government to suspend the ban until the economic recession is completely over, saying providing for the family is tough and people must find every legitimate means to survive. “At least, hawking is far better than stealing or robbing,” he said.
Apart from the hawkers and beggars, there are also a number of minors who recently have made the NEPA roundabout in Kaduna their centre. They are usually seen with liquid detergents and improvised sponge sticks cleaning windscreen of vehicles by traffic lights. They however switch to begging the moment they are not allowed by some car owners to clean their screens for stipends.
The children in an interaction with our reporter said they are from Hayi Rigasa area of Kaduna metropolis and that they decided to be cleaning windscreens and at the same time beg for alms in order to get money to feed themselves.
On why they don’t go to school, they said they do go to Islamic school every day except on Thursdays and Fridays and so we decided to go out and look for money on those two days. They claimed ignorance of the state government’s ban on street begging and hawking.
Efforts to reach the Police spokesperson, DSP Usman Aliyu proved abortive as he did not pick calls put to his line but an official of the Kaduna State Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency, (KASTELEA), who pleaded anonymity said the agency has been holding series of meetings since the directive was given on how to handle the issue.
“You know when you are dealing with different categories of people, you have to be careful. We are organizing ourselves and the security agencies in the state are liaising on how best to go about the enforcement, so the enforcement will kick off as soon as possible,” he said.