Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly are deliberating on a bill to criminalise street begging and penalise individuals who give money to beggars on the roads.

The bill is aimed at curbing the menace of street begging in the state, which has been taken over by criminal elements disguised as beggars.

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said that previous administrations in the state had made efforts to curb street begging, but that the challenge had not abated.

He stressed the need for a law that would specifically address street begging and giving.

“When we address the source, then we can curb it. When you go on the road, you find children within the ages of five and six begging. It means there are established groups of people benefitting from this. They warehouse and provide for them.

“Beyond the Child Rights Law, we should come up with another law that speaks to begging and giving. We must come up with genuine laws and institutions that handle begging,” he said.

The Speaker said the proposed law should aim to establish a centre where individuals who wish to give alms can do so, while the centre would ensure that the alms reach those in need.

“The law will create a fund to be managed by people with integrity so that if you are in need, you would go there,” he noted.

This, he said, would help to fulfil people’s religious beliefs about almsgiving, while also curbing street begging, reducing crime on the road and promoting greater responsibility among residents.