By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed for second reading a bill seeking to prohibit street begging across the state as part of efforts to restore order, improve public safety and promote a cleaner environment.

The proposed legislation, debated during plenary, is aimed at addressing the growing incidence of street begging, which lawmakers described as a longstanding social challenge that now poses threats to security, environmental sanitation and the image of Lagos State.

Leading the debate, the member representing Surulere I, Desmond Elliot, called for a humane approach, particularly in dealing with children found begging on the streets. He urged the government to remove vulnerable children from the streets, provide them with proper care and rehabilitation, and ensure that relevant state agencies effectively discharge their responsibilities.

Also contributing, the member representing Ikorodu II, Aro Moshood, stressed the need for careful scrutiny of the bill’s provisions to prevent possible misinterpretation or abuse by law enforcement agencies during implementation.

The lawmaker representing Badagry I, Bonu Solomon, observed that many street beggars in Lagos were not indigenes of the state. He proposed that the legislation should not only sanction individuals who encourage begging through indiscriminate almsgiving but also provide for the arrest of able-bodied adults engaged in street begging.

In his remarks, the member representing Eti-Osa I, Noheem Adams, described the bill as a timely intervention that would help tackle the growing problem. He advocated relocating beggars to rehabilitation centres where they could receive correctional, vocational and social support.

Adams cited states including Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Anambra and Abia, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, as jurisdictions that have implemented similar measures.

Presiding over the plenary, Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said while giving to the needy remains a noble act, the increasing rate of street begging had become a source of insecurity and public concern.

According to him, government should establish structured channels through which charitable donations can be directed to genuinely needy persons while ensuring that those engaged in street begging are rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

Obasa also advised that the proposed legislation should be harmonised with existing laws to ensure seamless implementation. The Speaker subsequently committed the bill to the House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development with a mandate to report back to the House within two weeks.