The destitute in Kaduna state may continue to live with their problems as there is no special law to address their plight.
This is in spite of the fact that they are also equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project
and do not deserved to be in abject poverty as prescribed by the UN.
The National Assembly and some state legislatures had either passed or are considering special laws seeking to promote and protect the interests of children and disabled persons in the country.
An investigation conducted by NT, however, revealed that there was no law specifically designed to tackle the plight of the destitute in the state.
Unlike children and disabled people who have special laws taking care of girl-child
education, child rights and rehabilitation of disabled persons, the destitute would
continue to constitute an eye sore at public places.
The destitute, including disabled persons, are regular sights along major roads and streets, hotels, restaurants and high profile occasions soliciting for alms or other kind of assistance.
``They swarm on people, with their pitiable conditions, begging for alms or one form of
assistance from the general public, as if they are robbers,’’ Mr Akin Samuel, a resident
told NT.
Some of the destitute interviewed attributedtheir plight to neglect by the government,
families, corporate bodies, political leaders, wealthy individuals, donor organisations,
NGOs and CSOs, among others.
Malam Sadiku Lamara, a cripple, said: ``I happen to come from very poor family that
couldn’t educate or train me to be useful to myself and the society.’’
For Malama Hajara Sallau, a beggar, she said she took to begging with her four children on the streets after she became a widow and her relatives deserted her.
A blind beggar, Mr Sanusi Doka, also said he was abandoned by his parents and relatives at a very tender age and grew up on the streets.
Most of the destitute spoken to appealed for special assistance to enable them live normal and useful lives, even as they claimed to be patriotic citizens and interested in the development of the country.
NT findings also indicated that besides the ministry of women affairs and social
welfare which had established some rehabilitation homes, there is only one functional NGO trying to address the plight of the destitute in the state.
The National Council for the Welfare of the Destitute, is headed by a former military
governor of defunct Kaduna state, Grp. Capt. Usman Jibrin (rtd).
Jibrin along with other concerned Nigerians floated the NGO to train, educate, sponsor and monitor the destitute to when they start living useful lives.
But Jibrin solicited for funds, sponsorship, equipment, training and employment
opportunities to enable the council to fully realise its set goals.
Meanwhile, a member of the Kaduna state House of Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed
Iliyasu (ANPP-Kawo), told NT that he would sponsor a private bill to address the
plight of the destitute, restore hope in them and make them become useful citizens.
Iliyasu, the Deputy Minority Leader in the Assembly, decried the ``neglect of destitute’’ in the country.
He observed that absence of pragmatic social welfare scheme for the destitute was
capable of causing insecurity in the society.
He lamented that lack of adequate institutional frame works and relevant laws was partly responsible for the plight of the destitute.
``There is near absence of relevant laws and institutions to cater for the welfare of the
destitute in Nigeria .
``Government at all levels, wealthy individuals, international donor agencies, philanthropists, CSOs and NGOs does not seem to care much about the problems of the less privileged in our country,’’ he said.
Iliyasu cautioned that unless urgent measures were evolved to cater for the needs of the
destitute, the country risk an impending agitation worst than the menace of the Niger
Delta militancy.
According to him, the swamp of destitute seen at major public places, bus stops, parks, hotels, restaurants and markets served as adequate notice for the outbreak of a social crisis in the country.
The lawmaker urged all elected and appointed political leaders to demonstrate love and care to the destitute to restore their hope in the polity before the situation got out of hand.
Similarly, Iliyasu urged his colleagues at the three tiers of government in the country to pass laws and budgetary allocations that would properly cater for the welfare of the destitute.
Besides, he appealed to the UN, USAID, UNDP, UNICEF, financial institutions, companies, philanthropists and NGOs to improve the lives of the destitute in the society to avert what he described as an impending social catastrophe.
While commending the efforts of the National Council for the Welfare of the Destitute on various skill training and welfare programmes, the legislator promised to initiate a private bill aimed at addressing the neglect of less privileged citizens, including the destitute and disabled persons.
Looking at the sorry lives of the destitute, there is no gainsaying the fact that their plight called for urgent attention from all quarters to nip an imminent growing social problem in the bud.
Editorial Review
