BEGGARS TAKE OVER PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IN AWKA AS RESIDENTS LAMENT

Residents of Awka in Anambra State are worried over the increasing number of beggars who occupy the pedestrian bridge in Awka.

According to them, UNIZIK Temporary site junction pedestrian bridge has been taken over by beggars thereby causing human traffic on the facility on daily basis.

Street beggars are found at every strategic point and major junctions in Awka, where they take vantage positions seeking for alms.

For instance, from Saint Mary’s Catholic Church to Eke Awka roundabout, UNIZIK Pedestrian Bridges and in all the motor parks, a set of street beggars have taken over every available space there.

Some of them are nursing mothers while the aged and the sick are not left out.

In an interview with Radio Nigeria, one of the street beggars who was a nursing mother and preferred anonymity said she was begging to feed her children.

She appealed to the State Government to help her start a business.

According to a business woman at the UNIZIK Junction, Mrs. Loretta Ezeudu, some of the beggars have cultivated the habit of harassing people especially at nights.

Mrs. Ezeudu blamed the high rate of begging on laziness among some Nigerians.

Another woman, Mrs. Chiamaka Okoye, advocated introduction of social welfare programmes to check the activities of beggars in the State.

She urged the Ministry of Women Development and other relevant agencies to be alive to their responsibilities by removing beggars from the streets.

NKIRU ONUZULIKE