Anambra commissioner raids beggars, arrests 50

On Wednesday, a joint task force from the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra Brigade and the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare raided key locations in the state and removed over 50 street beggars and uninformed children selling goods from the streets of Awka and the surrounding area.

According to the ministry, the action was taken to achieve the current administration’s clean, green, and sustainable megacity agenda by sanitising the state, paving the way for free flow of traffic, and rescuing out-of-school children.

Arroma, Regina Ceali Junction, UNIZIK temporary site, Akwata Junction, Amawbia Bypass, and Eke Awka market were among the places that were visited.

According to reports, the men, women, and kids who were raided came from various regions of the nation.

Ify Obinabo, the commissioner for women and social welfare, told reporters during the operation that the ministry had noticed a daily rise in the number of child hawkers in the Awka area and nearby areas.

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This is proof of child labour and exploitation, which is against the Child’s Rights Law, to which the Anambra State is a signatory, according to Obinabo.

“The government of the state of Anambra detests child labour in all its forms. Any child seen in a school building during the week will be taken and sent there.

Some of the beggars who were raided gave their names as Uju Obie, Afam Nweke, and Ifeoma Chukwu, and claimed that because of hardship and a lack of assistance, they were forced to beg in order to provide for their children.

They begged for help, promising to stop begging if they received help to start some businesses so they could support themselves.