Nigeria: Beggars protest against El-Rufai’s anti-begging, hawking law

As Kaduna State Assembly passed the law on banning street begging in the state, beggars Wednesday protested against the law as they give the government seven days ultimatum to withdraw the law or they will occupy the government house.

The beggars who stormed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Secretarial said they are ready to sacrifice their lives against the law.

The beggars who comprised of blind, deaf, crippled, both elderly, young and women with their babies said nobody can stop them from begging without providing them with alternatives.

The protesters raised placards with inscription such as “El-Rufai before stopping street begging, pass state disability bill.

“Begging can never be stopped by persons with disability in Kaduna. “El-Rufai, fulfil your campaign promises before stopping begging in Kaduna”. “Give us 10 percent job opportunity as you promised before stopping street begging,” among others.

The State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai had last week assented to the bill banning street begging and hawking in the state. The governor’s decision didn’t go down well with the disables in the state which forced them to protest his decision.

Commenting on the protests Chairman Concerned Citizens with Disabilities, Julius Shemang said the passage of the street begging and hawking bill in the absent of adequate provisions made for the street beggars first contradict the agreed process reached between them and the government  that solutions will be proffered before the law come into effect.

“We are therefore writing to register our concern before you and the State assembly categorically that the signing and passage of the street begging and hawking Bill without our Bill signed with a commission in line with Article 4 of the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with Disabilities ( UNCRPD) will spell more hardship for our members.

“Before the 2015 general elections you mentioned during your campaign that if elected as governor of the state you will make life comfortable for our members by signing our bill with a commission.

“Again at a town hall meeting with stakeholders and representatives of different organizations and community leaders last year in which Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD)  and JNI the bill issue and street begging and hawking was tabled.

“The assurance you gave us again was that street begging and hawking won’t be banned until solutions are preferred or put in place to improve the living conditions of our members,” he said.

Earlier, Former National Vice Chairman, of JONAPWD, Comrade Rilwanu Mohammed Abdullahi said they will soon occupy the state government house if after seven days they state governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai refused to pass the bill to set up a disability commission in the state.

“We don’t like street begging but we have no choice than to beg for arms to take care of our family members.  Let the governor pass the bill to set of disability commission in the state.

“If the government failed to do that within seven days from today we will continue with the protest and take over the government house until our demands are met,” he said.

Source