Northern Governors To Move Against Almajiri (Street Begging)

Two governors, Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) have joined the crusade against out-of-school children (Almajiri) in the North

Governor El-Rufai has revealed that he already has plans to present a memo to other northern governors on practical steps to end the menace.

He spoke through his Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, during a meeting with stakeholders on how to tackle the Almajiri problem in his state.

Baba noted that the governor’s administration has a political will fight the issue but requires the cooperation of other states to prevent inter-state movement of the kids.

She rebuked parents who push their children to the streets to beg under the pretence of Almajiri model of education, saying, the law banning street begging and hawking in Kaduna State would be implemented as a measure to check the development.

Baba called on the parent to wake up to their responsibility and refrain from sending their children and wards to the streets.

On his side, Governor Sule of Nassarawa also issued an Executive Order prescribing 10 years imprisonment for parents whose children engage in street begging.

Sule, who signed into law the State Anti-Kidnapping Prohibiting Bill 2020 and Child-Protection Executive Order in Lafia yesterday, also banned street begging in the state and said that his government will upgrade the Tsangaya system by enrolling its students in public schools.

The governor said: “Those currently begging will be taken off the streets and enrol in schools to make their lives worthwhile.

“It is only those who are currently begging on our streets that the government will provide for, so any persons who bring children from other states again will be jail if caught.”

According to him, the government will not punish the children involved in begging but will sanction those who sent them to the streets.

“Without sounding immodest, the order, apart from the prohibition of street begging, provides punishment for parents who out of irresponsibility threw away their children for street begging,” he said.

He said that the government was not against the Almajiri system, but it was against street begging under whatever guise.

Sule said that the order was part of the implementation of the Child’s Right Protection Executive Order, 2005 of Nasarawa State pursuant to section 5 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.