Anambra warns parents against using children for street begging

The Anambra state government says it will take action against parents who use their children for street begging.

Paul Nwosu, Anambra commissioner for information, said in a statement on Wednesday that although the Chukwuma Soludo-led government has guaranteed free education for every child in the state, parents still unleash their children and wards to solicit alms on the streets.

“There is absolutely no reason why these kids shouldn’t be in schools instead of milling under Aroma flyover and our other city centres in seeming vagrancy,” Nwosu said. 

He described the practice as “troubling”, adding that it undermines the state government’s efforts to mordenise and regenerate Anambra.

“It is so troubling seeing healthy children who ought to be in schools being used as beggars at the bus-stops, road intersections and along our streets,” the statement reads.

“It’s time all the unrepentantly incorrigible parents who release their children for this unhealthy practice are stopped in their tracks.

“This is a smear on governor Soludo’s sustained effort to regenerate our major cities and urban centres.

“Parents and syndicates who send these minors to go and beg for them on the streets must be reminded that there is a law prohibiting child begging and prostitution and so on.

“Henceforth, a more coordinated action would be taken by relevant government agencies to get to the root of the matter so that an effective stop will be put to it.

“The children deserve to be in the schools enjoying the free education guaranteed by governor Soludo instead of being on the streets, begging for alms they eventually give to the adults.”