Lagos Assembly advances bill to ban street begging

The Lagos State House of Assembly has read for the second time a bill aimed at prohibiting street begging and addressing the escalating problem of street begging across the state.

The proposed legislation was introduced in response to the growing prevalence of street begging, which has persisted for years and now poses a threat to public safety, environmental sanitation and the image of Lagos State.

Contributing to the debate, Hon. Desmond Elliot emphasised the need for a compassionate approach, particularly towards children found on the streets.

He urged the government to remove vulnerable children from the streets, provide them with adequate care and rehabilitation, and ensure that relevant state agencies effectively carry out their responsibilities.

Calling for a careful examination of the bill’s provisions, Hon. Aro Moshood proposed measures to prevent possible misinterpretation or abuse by law enforcement agencies during its implementation.

Also speaking, Hon. Bonu Solomon noted that a significant proportion of street beggars in Lagos are not indigenes of the state. He recommended that the law should not only penalise individuals who encourage begging through indiscriminate giving but should also provide for the apprehension of adult beggars engaged in the practice.

In his contribution, Hon. Noheem Adams described the bill as a timely intervention that would help address the issue of street begging. He advocated relocating beggars from the streets to rehabilitation centres where they could receive correctional, vocational and social support. He cited Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Anambra and Abia states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, as examples of governments that have implemented similar measures.

Presiding over the plenary, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said that giving to the needy is a noble act, but the growing rate of street begging has become a source of insecurity and public concern.

He suggested that the government should establish structured channels through which charitable donations can be made to genuinely needy persons while ensuring that beggars are rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

He further advised that the proposed legislation should be harmonised with existing laws to ensure effective implementation.

Subsequently, Speaker Obasa committed the bill to the Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development, directing it to report its findings within two weeks.

Thereafter, the House adjourned sine die.