Lagos State Responds to Tacha: Handling Underage Beggars Requires Firm Enforcement, Not Emotion

Tokunbo Wahab, the state commissioner for environment and water resources in Lagos, has reacted to reality TV star Tacha’s criticism of the detention of young street beggars.
According to reports, Wahab posted a video on Wednesday that captured the moment when men from the state’s environmental taskforce apprehended a juvenile beggar.

Tacha responded by denouncing the situation and claiming that the administration had let the kids down.

She maintained that the government should set up appropriate vocational centers with boarding facilities that teach useful skills like shoe-making, design, photography, and videography rather than detaining the kids.

In response to her social media post, Wahab emphasized that the government is not responsible for raising children who are uncooperative.

“Dear Tacha,” he wrote, We appreciate your concern.

It is not appropriate to approach advocacy and enforcement with emotion or snap decisions. Laws, statistics, and long-term social responsibility must serve as their compass.

There is no denying the existence of poverty or the risks that kids encounter on our roads. The presence of juveniles on key highways, like Lekki-Epe, is the exact reason that intervention is required, not the reason to stop enforcing the law. In the guise of compassion, leaving kids to avoid fast-moving cars is negligence, not empathy.

First off, Lagos State public schools offer free tuition and free WAEC examination fees. Additionally, Lagos offers free technical colleges, vocational centers, and skill-building programs throughout the state. Many of these programs teach trades including fashion, shoemaking, photography, ICT, and creative arts. In addition to government facilities, free training and empowerment programs are often organized by community leaders, NGOs, religious organizations, and even elected politicians throughout the state. It is incorrect to say that there are no interventions, even though they might not be flawless.

The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development offers free admission to children who are interested in learning skills, while others are returned to their parents, most of whom do not reside in Lagos. This information may be of interest to you. Every time these children are arrested, they are profiled. However, raising uncooperative kids is not the government’s job.

“Dear Tacha, we would be prepared to collaborate with you and others to help remove children like these from the streets, going beyond social media, just like everyone else who has worked with the state. Please contact either me or @Mo_ogunlende, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development.The