Nigerian Government Laments Children’s Use As Street Hawkers, Beggars

The Nigerian Government has expressed worry over the vulnerable and out-of-school children in the country, saying they are being used as street hawkers and beggars.

Mrs Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Protection Plan, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday, while identifying Gombe, Ekiti, Kaduna, Sokoto and Borno states as places her team had visited for sensitisation on the menace.

She added that efforts are ongoing to sensitise women and non-formal education tutors in other endemic places on the dangers of using young children as street hawkers and beggars.

Uwais appealed for support from the National Youth Service Corps to provide succour for the vulnerable and out-of-school children in the country.

While 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 corps members are full of potential that can be harnessed for national development.

He stated that their participation in national assignments is an attestation to the fact that if given a conducive environment, they would render selfless services to the development of the country.