Govt laments children's use as street hawkers, beggars in Gombe, Ekiti, Kaduna, others

Children begging on the streets

The Nigerian Government has expressed worry over the high number of children on the streets being used as beggars and hawkers in the country.

Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Protection Plan, Maryam Uwais said in Abuja on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, that Gombe, Ekiti, Kaduna, Sokoto and Borno states are among place with high numbers of street children which have undergone sensitisation with regards to the increasing situation.

According to her, measures are been put in place to educate the women and parents in other areas on the dangers of using young children as street hawkers and beggars.

Uwais appealed to the National Youth Service Corps to support the vulnerable and out-of-school children in the country. This move she said will help the children out of the streets and back in school.

In a meeting with the NYSC Director-General, Brig Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim at the NYSC Headquarters in Abuja, she said, “Our committee is saddled with the responsibility of taking school-age children off the streets, thereby adding value to their lives.

“We have visited Gombe, Ekiti, Kaduna, Sokoto and Borno states and efforts are ongoing to sensitise women and non-formal education tutors on the dangers of using young children as street hawkers and beggars in other places.

“We want NYSC's support to actualise this mandate. We can't do it alone and we plead with NYSC to join us in giving hope to the vulnerable and poor children in the country.

“We want to add value as we are looking at agriculture, malnutrition, digital skills, entrepreneurship, sports, addressing trauma, curbing violence and addressing special needs. We also want to engage the mothers to learn nutrition, good hygiene and also bring their children for birth registration, vaccination among others.”

The NYSC DG, Ibrahim in his response, said their participation in national assignments is a confirmation that if given adequate resources and conducive environment, more excellent works will be produced for the betterment of the country.