Members of the Abia State environmental task force has swooped on street beggars and destitutes littering the streets of Aba, the commercial centre of the State.
The task force living up to the mandate to ride the city of street beggars and destitutes were seen picking them up. Mostly affected were those of them that are of school aged roaming the streets about harassing and embarrassing passers-by.
According to our correspondence, the street beggars have become a cog in the wheels of traffic. This is even as they endanger their lives running after traffic in the bid to beg for alms. Of worry is the every growing numbers of these street beggars in Aba day by day.
According to our reporter, the ironically about the baggers and destitutes in Aba is that a good number of them don’t have any signs of destitution. Or convince anybody of real destitution to warrant their presence at such strategic locations. Where they position themselves daily, carrying out their inglorious activities that projects government in bad light.
Speaking on the development, a popular entertainment personality in the city, Frank Ebere Ikoro, aka Fank Fyne, described the presence of child street baggers in Aba as worrisome.
He said, “When I ran into the scene at the Brass Street junction by Nicholas Road adjoining the ever busy Aba Owerri Road I became worried. The place is becoming is fast becoming their beehive.
“I tried to find out what was going on as I saw many of them crying while the task force rounded them up. My first reaction was to ask if a camp has been made ready and available for them.
“The reply from one of the operatives of the task force was in the affirmative. That a concentration camp has been made available thus justifying the directives to clear them of the streets.
“Furthermore, the source went ahead and alleged that a syndicate is behind the increase in the number and growth of this so called destitutes.
“Their presence is disturbing the peace of our surroundings and environment, thereby, causing nuisance to the people.
“They go about pestering people unnecessarily while defecating all over the place. Thereby, making nonsense of the authorities efforts at ensuring a clean environment for the people.
Ikoro, however, alluded that growing number of these elements is as some undesirable elements who go to the nearby States to import them. And it is believed that the beggars in return render daily accounts to the faceless and devilish contractors.
According to our correspondent, this destitutes can be mostly found around the Bata, CKC and Our Lady of Lourdes. They are also in their number at Asa by Azikiwe Road and all other places they consider fertile. The Churches and hospitals and market areas are not spared of where they ply their trade.
Expressing concern, Ikoro said the beggars are posing danger to traffic. He said they cross from one end of the road to the other not minding speeding vehicles.
“Here vehicles are forced to stop for them instead of them stopping for traffic. If you dare hush them, they turn around to rain abuses at you for daring them,” he said.
According to sources in the city, the begging business is flourishing because some people are sponsoring the beggars.
Supporting the view, Ikoro said some individuals come to distribute food unto them on daily basis.
He said, those that bring food to these beggars are the ones that are sponsoring or encouraging them.
Ikoro described the practice of street begging shameful and does not speak well of Igbo people. He maintained that the practice should not be allowed to continue nor any longer or be tolerated.
Ikoro stated that street begging in Igbo land is a stigma against the collective universally acclaimed enterprising spirit.
He, therefore, warned those bent on practicing charity by identifying with the beggars to now locate them wherever they are quartered.
Ikoro urged them to save the people of growing embarrassment informed by insanity.
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