Beggars take over Apapa road junctions

BEGGARS from different parts of the country have taken over major road junctions leading to Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos State, thereby constituting nuisance to the public.The beggars, both male and female, usually resume at the junctions at Point road, Liverpool roundabout and Wharf port junction as early as 6:00 a.m. to beg for arms from motorists.Speaking  on the  menace being caused by these beggars to residents of the Apapa Government Reservation Area, Pastor Osareme Amebenomo said, the onus lies on government to provide a meaningful  life for the people, who, in no fault of their own, have found themselves in that  position.He said while it was germane to provide succour for the beggars, it was however, worrisome  to have them on the roads harassing  motorists  plying  the junction on  Apapa roads as early as 6:00 a.m. in the morning.He noted that while the churches, especially  Pentecostal churches have taken it as a point of duty to feed the beggars every Sunday afternoon,  government should be able to provide recreation or accommodation for them at designated places in the state.Amebenomo, who expressed concern over the total neglect of beggars in the society, noted that the weight of demands from the people, on what should have been the responsibility of the government is becoming unbearable, and if not checked urgently, crime in the environs will skyrocket within the short  time possible.In her comment, Mrs Oluremi Micheal said, the beggars have turned Apapa GRA into something else, noting that women with children strapped on their back were now a common sight especially at the Point road junction, singing to attract sympathy. They are being led by men who are old enough to be their husbands or even work to fend for them.Michael, who said that majority of the beggars were usually brought from the northern part of the country in articulated vehicles, noted that their first port of destination was Ijora Badia before the distribution to places like Apapa where they know that people have money to part with.She noted that the best thing for the government in the immediate time was to take them away from the road as it was done sometimes ago, saying she wondered why the project was abandoned.According to her,  government ought to rehabilitate them, and if it was too burdensome on them, they should assist them by sending them back to their various states as a last resort.
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