The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has turned down a proposal to construct housing units for beggars and Almajiri children in Abuja.
Wike made his position clear during a recent meeting with officials from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Social Development Secretariat. He argued that such a project would send the wrong message and could encourage more street begging and unregulated migration into the capital.
“We cannot reward begging by building houses for them. If we do that, more people will flood into the city, hoping to benefit from the same gesture,” the minister said.
Wike emphasized the need for a more strategic and sustainable approach to address the issue of street begging, urging stakeholders to focus on rehabilitation, skill acquisition, and reintegration programs instead of building permanent settlements for non-residents.
The minister also noted that the FCT Administration is committed to keeping Abuja clean, organized, and secure, and that allowing street begging to persist undermines these efforts.
He called on state governments to take responsibility for the welfare of their indigenes and discouraged the practice of sending Almajiri children to Abuja without adequate plans for their care and education.
