The Lagos State Government on Thursday said giving alms to beggars on roadside is an offence punishable by two years imprisonment without an option of fine.
It further stated that instead of risking jail term, the citizens of the state could give such alms to churches, mosques, registered orphanages, motherless babies homes or social welfare institutions in the state.
The Special Adviser on Youth, Sports and Social Development to the governor, Dr. Dolapo Badru, said this at a news conference in Alausa, Ikeja on the performance of the ministry in social care.
He said the government was determined to take beggars and the destitute off the street and provide them vocations and shelters.
He said, “Lagos State frowns on giving alms to beggars. It is punishable under the law and you can get up to two years imprisonment for giving money to beggars.
“We have places where such money could be put to good use. The government is committed to best practices in social care.”
He said that the government had formulated policies and established institutional care services in order to ensure proper rescue and integration of beggars and the destitute.
He said that 72 complaints on begging and destitution were received and attended to in 2010, adding that government’s efforts were aimed at reducing crimes in the state.
“We are concerned about it and other issues of abandoned babies and child abuse and lack of care for people living with disabilities. Hence, we have telephone lines people can call in case they notice some of these things including 08097226696 for beggars and 08096777389 for abandoned babies,” Badru said.
That would at least help in the country National income computation
And the governor should help create a realabtration center for this beggers i.e does with disability
This is a stupid law.What is the essence of christians and moslems doctrine of giving alms.Even in America,you give beggars alms.This is not what we want Fashola to do.As he forgotten that the nation that do not remember the poor(beggars) will not prosper.It is not thier wish to beg for alms.This is sensitive issues;it will never work.We have corporate beggers like LASTMA,POLICE,KIA.Get to Lagos secretariat in Alausa,there are alot of beggars.All the staffs in governors office are all beggars!
This is superb!it is a sheer epitome of good governance.For the very first time in the history of Nigeria,the state government is considering the interest of the poor and less privileged.I hope other states’ administration will borrow a leaf
I don’t see hw Mr. Fashola will do this! What of ‘fine baras’ who are mostly unemployed graduates begging for transport fares…and if both Mr Fashola and Mr. Badru ard truly serious, they should go to Agege Railway Under Bridge, Kano str., Eko o ni baje o!
I am not in support of this law if it is true, because we all know the conditions of this country.
a bad policy!d poor r at d recieving end..no rehab centre,no noting and dey xpect these un4tunate ones 2 just vanish 4rm dey streets?!lord were this policy makers tinking wit their brains in their bumbum?
They are laws dat are not useful and dis one is an e.g of such laws.
The poor are the parameter for measuring govt policy and economic development and so must not be rejected or God may bcome very angry….
life is ful of suggestion but dis idea of fashola wil nut work bcos so many pple use dis begging to feed 4 themselves and families. let assume dat u are d 1 beging “n” d gvt impose dis tax on u, hw wil u feel?and when u hv no were to go and no help 4rm no werë.
This is really tough u knw, bt 4 me it will be ok d government make provision 4 dem bcos after all u won’t see much beggers in d street of london unlike naija beggers(dey 2much)
I must say that this is a good idea if the beggers would be taken good care of my the expected government establishment but they should bear in mind that this is not going to be easy. Even the people that are in charge must be corruption free. Another thing is that they should have in mind that nobody will go to the orphanage because he want to give only 20 naira or 50. Even some of the illitrate citizens will not pass true the protocols of going to the church or mosque. By the way, how will the government know that the money got the people it was meant for? I suggest they should just provide jobs for them treat and take care of the disabled and pray that things would get better……..TRANXCOP REPORTING!
As much as i want to agree to this supposed law and the ‘promises’ coming with it,i still see a cloudy atmosphere,i tell you.how do we know these items or monetary contributions will be doled out to these people?and what makes the originators of this ‘law’ think people don’t donate their quota to the centers of the homeless and orphanages and other physically challenged centers?i for one have been an ardent visitor to these homes since i was a student i buy items with my pocket money to donate to their well being,still as an applicant i go out of my way to continue even if i don’t know where my next meal will come from.Then i see those who refuse to be holed up in such places on the streets,and i will be arrested for showing them kindness?is that it?the reason why those on the street refuse to be in centers is because they are not taken proper care of they want to be handed what they can get not what was donated and a fraction of it goes to the managements hands.even abroad,good wills are doled out to persons everywhere.parks,train stations,bus stations,on the streets e.t.c.please and please Mr Fashola should know and weigh whatever laws are to be implemented especially in the state.it will be so unruly to go to prisons you see someone and ask what are his or her charges and all you get to hear is ‘i am spending two years for giving alms’.its sounds sooo stupid i tell you.we should be thinking on how to rehabilitate them and decongest our prisons.let the governor be focused.eko o ni baje.
i fink its a good law… and by the way, u guys echoing the words of stagnation and backwardness lyk, i dnt fink dis will work and its lyk, whr is ur faith in building a better nigeria??? for heavens sake d man promised to provide rehabilitation centers and oda help agencies for them and he’s not lyk odas who spend tym fashioning out a lie and spend their terms in office fulfilling the lies… if oda govs learn frm fashie, in no distant tym nigeria will be glowing wif pride… pls lagoshians, support him….thanks