Less than 48 hours after the Kwara State government announced a ban on Street begging in Ilorin, the State Environmental Protection Agency has begun the evacuation of street beggars on the Gerin-Alimi bridge.
The state Commissioner for Social Development, Abosede Aremu, on Thursday, said that the state government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hausa community on the prohibition of street begging in Ilorin, the state capital.
Aremu said during a meeting with the representatives of the Hausa community, the government took the bold step given the nuisance that street begging poses on major roads in the capital city.
KWEPA in a statement by its Press Secretary, Adekunle Adejoke, said that the street beggars were sent away from the Geri-Alimi bridge after well-meaning residents of the state sent in reports of environmental violations on the part of the beggars.
She said that the activities of the beggars have been sabotaging the efforts of the state government in keeping the environment clean.
According to the statement, “The General Manager of the Agency, Alhaji Sa’ad Dan-Musa, led the enforcement team of the Agency to inspect the site and over fifty beggars were sent away and warned not to return to the location.
“Alhaji Dan-Musa, admonished those in the environment to play their part by sending away the beggars whenever they sight them there and let the government play her part of monitoring.
“The Head, Encroachment Unit, Alhaji Yunusa Jiddah, on his part, issued a stern warning to the beggars and told them the implications attached to violating environmental laws.”
He reiterated that anyone caught there, later on, would be prosecuted according to the law.
The Commissioner had earlier reminded residents that there was punishment and penalty for street begging which attracts a fine or imprisonment according to Kwara State Street Begging Prohibition Law 2006.
