FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike is in the news again, this time, he dominated the headlines for giving beggars living in the Federal Capital City a short deadline to quit. Lest I am misunderstood, let me say from the start that street begging is an embarrassment to any society that creates the conditions for the rise and growth of such poor and vulnerable people. I am particularly embarrassed by the fact that northerners dominate the population of beggars in the country, despite our privilege of holding political power the longest. It’s a badge of shame. Islam forbids and discourages begging. Begging destroys one’s pride. It is an insult to self-esteem. In his last interview with the BBC Hausa Service shortly before his demise, General Hassan Usman Katsina admonished bitterly against begging.
However, while we are commending the FCT Minister for his “courage”, we shouldn’t ignore the human rights angle of the issue. We shouldn’t treat a complex issue superficially. Cosmetic approach to public policy usually makes a bad situation worse. Wike was not the first minister to expel beggars. Former FCT Minister Nasir El-Rufai had done the same thing before, but the beggars still floored back to Abuja. General Jerry Useini also expelled Abuja beggars to a remote place in Zuru, Kebbi State, but the beggars found their way back. That means the picture is bigger than the surface level understanding of the issue by our policy makers, including Mr. Wike.
Our constitution has conferred on citizens regardless of their social standing the freedom to reside in any part of the country. Meanwhile, the beggars as part of the weak and vulnerable in our society have the right to be catered for in governance. The question that is begging for an answer now is what has the FCT administration done in terms of catering for the welfare of the weak and vulnerable? Commendably, the administration of former FCT Minister Nasir El-rufai built a settlement for the destitute in Yangoji along the Abaji-Lokoja road. The settlement has a primary school and land for cultivation of food. According to Housing Rights Watch Policy analyst, Anna Kompatscher (FEANTSA), “the stigmatisation and penalisation of beggars and poor people have heavy consequences for their dignity. Banning begging but also other penalisation strategies can push the people targeted by these measures further into poverty and social exclusion.” She argues further that “a way forward can only be a change of mindset on begging as a criminal economic activity” and that “if begging should be eradicated, then it should not be through penalisation and criminalisation but thanks to a more supportive approach, helping low-income families to receive assistance and resources.”
Ironically, in Nigeria, those resources are stolen through corruption. The recent revelations about the alleged large-scale corruption in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs have exposed how billions of public funds meant for poor people were brazenly stolen. Corruption impoverishes the people and makes them more vulnerable. These vulnerable people are victims of multidimensional poverty. They can’t afford to send their children to school or afford the costs of basic medical care. They die of preventable diseases such cholera, malaria, meningitis and other infections.
Therefore, treating beggars as criminals is morally offensive. They’re victims of the corruption in the country. You can’t punish the victims of corruption and spare the perpetrators. In fact, beggars are the human debris of the devastating impact of pervasive poverty in the country. The current insecurity has aggravated poverty which in turn has made the victims become beggars and refugees. A system that allows people to amass incredible wealth through corruption without consequences is worse than the menace of begging. The Chinese philosopher, Confucius said that “in a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of.” He added that “in a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.”
The poor recruitment process into governance in our country is responsible for the endemic nature of begging in our polity. Indonesia, Kenya and several other countries have successfully researched and addressed the menace of begging. Therefore, those in positions of authority need to understand that addressing the menace of begging is not a rocket science.There are steps that are scientifically proven as international best practice of addressing such social problems where there is good governance and sincerity of purpose.
Dr Saleh Ibrahim is Chairman of an NGO, Long Terms Solutions for Destitute Initiative
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