The Chief of the Niger Community in the Ashanti Region, Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq, has expressed concern over rising street begging in Ghana, particularly involving women and children, saying it is tarnishing the image of Niger and its citizens.
According to him, the presence of women and children begging on the streets of major cities has led some Ghanaians to associate street begging predominantly with Nigerien nationals, a perception he describes as unfair and damaging.
He disclosed that investigations conducted by the Niger Community in the Ashanti Region showed that only about 5% of the street beggars they identified were Nigerien nationals, challenging the widespread perception.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Niger Community at Airport area in Kumasi, Chief Sadiq said street begging has become a major concern, especially when children are exposed to dangers on the streets.
He alleged that some individuals have deliberately turned begging into a business, rather than begging out of hunger, and expressed worry over mothers taking their children onto busy streets to solicit money from motorists, exposing them to accidents and exploitation.
Chief Sadiq therefore welcomed efforts by government, particularly the Ministry of the Interior, to remove street beggars, including children and mothers, from the streets of Kumasi and Accra, and urged sustained enforcement of laws against street begging.
He also appealed to the Niger Embassy in Ghana to collaborate with Ghanaian authorities to identify Nigerien nationals found begging and facilitate their return where appropriate, and called on immigration authorities of both countries to strengthen border monitoring.
Concern Over Social Media Misuse
Chief Sadiq also raised concern over the misuse of social media by some youth to insult elders and traditional authorities, warning it could undermine peaceful coexistence.
He urged parents, traditional and religious leaders to educate the youth on responsible use of social media and called on young people to use digital platforms to promote peace, unity and development rather than division.
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