The Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to prohibit street begging across the state.
Lawmakers said the proposed legislation would help improve public order, strengthen security and promote environmental sanitation while addressing the growing challenge of street begging.
During debate on the bill, legislators described street begging as a long-standing social issue that affects public safety, sanitation and the image of Lagos State.
“This initiative emanated due to increasing prevalence of street begging,” lawmakers said.
They noted that the practice had persisted for years and had become “a threat to public safety, environmental sanitation, and the image of Lagos State”.
The lawmakers stressed the need for rehabilitation and vocational support for beggars, particularly vulnerable children affected by the practice. They also called for safeguards to prevent possible abuse by law enforcement agencies during the enforcement of the proposed law.
Contributing to the debate, Desmond Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency, urged authorities to adopt a compassionate approach, especially in handling children found begging on the streets.
He said vulnerable children should be removed from the streets and provided with adequate care, rehabilitation and protection.
Elliot also called on relevant government agencies to effectively perform their statutory responsibilities in addressing street begging and protecting children.
Aro Moshood, representing Ikorodu II Constituency, urged lawmakers to carefully examine the provisions of the bill before its final passage.
Moshood said areas that could be open to misinterpretation or abuse by enforcement officers should be properly addressed.
Bonu Solomon, representing Badagry I Constituency, observed that many street beggars in Lagos were not residents of the state.
He recommended penalties for individuals who encourage street begging through indiscriminate donations, while supporting measures to apprehend adults involved in the practice.
The Majority Leader of the House, Noheem Adams, described the bill as a timely intervention capable of addressing the persistent problem of street begging.
Adams advocated the relocation of beggars from the streets to rehabilitation centres where they could access correctional, vocational and social support programmes.
He cited Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Anambra, Abia and the Federal Capital Territory as examples of places that have introduced similar measures to tackle street begging.
The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said charitable donations should be channelled through structured government platforms rather than indiscriminate street giving.
Obasa said genuine beggars should be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society through coordinated government interventions.
The Speaker referred the bill to the House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development for further legislative review.
The committee is expected to report back to the House within two weeks for further consideration of the proposed legislation.
