By Muhammad haruna
Street begging is a social challenge that is more rampant in Northern Nigeria than elsewhere in the country. Some poor individuals resort to street begging to sustain their families. Street begging is found more among people living with physical challenges, particularly the blind persons. A literature review on the causes of blindness and challenges to accessing curative and rehabilitation support services is conducted with a view to draw the attention of policy formulators on the appropriate rehabilitation of the visually disabled persons in order to tackle the menace of street begging in Northern Nigeria.
The study revealed that Majority had blindness from avoidable causes (over 75%) and had difficulty in accessing curative and rehabilitation support services. In the light of the avoidable nature of the majority of the causes of blindness among blind beggars in Northern Nigeria, coupled with the existing inadequate modalities for rehabilitating incurably blind, it is recommended that, a comprehensive eye care program on preventive, curative and rehabilitative services with a strong public health education campaign on the avoidable causes of blindness and discouraging street begging should be put in place by relevant stakeholders.
Street begging is a social challenge and a menace that is rampant in Northern Nigeria. Some poor individuals resort to street begging to sustain their families. This is more pronounced among people who are physically challenged particularly the blind persons. Poverty and blindness are linked in a cycle in developing countries, as poverty is not only a cause but also a consequence of visual disability.
In order to reduce the number of beggars in the northern Nigeria, best solution would be the restrictions of panhandling on the major root’s.
Banning aggressive panhandling which often involve packet packing and coercion. The establish natural rehabilitation center to house and counsel panhandlers.
Coalition with NGOs, religious organization and charity on the counseling and welfare of former panhandlers who are in the NRCS .
The establishment of government vocational schools to provide entrepreneurial skills to these former panhandlers
We need social welfare. A good number street beggars seen to have same disabilities or medical condition.
Universal health care that guarantees that every one has access to all least basic health services well reduce (if not remove)the need for people to go street begging in order to pay medical Bill.
Compulsory free basic education homeless,shelters, food bank unemployment allowance if the basically food, shelters,education, health care, were available to all Nigeria regardless of their financial circumstances I think the number of street beggars would reduce significantly.
Muhammad haruna writes from the Department of Mass communication, Abubakar Tatari Ali polytechnic Bauchi
