Prevailing economic conditions in the Northern Region of Ghana has resulted in the proliferation of beggars and the subsequent formation of an Association of same in the region.
Mr, Afah Mahama Alhassan, Executive member of the newly formed Beggars Association in the metropolis, told Weekend Finder that the association was formed to help strategise on ‘viable’ locations that attracts the attention of passersby.
‘‘we had to relocate to junctions and traffic lights to reach out to more people who cannot locate us.’’
Although he acknowledged that the practice was not the best of practices, he says harsh economic conditions have pushed them to be beggars.
‘‘we also need to survive and take care of our families since some of us are bread winners in the family.’’
The situation has led a lot more unemployed persons into begging business especially the youth such that their activities have become a nuisance to motorists in Tamale metropolis.
The beggars have virtually taken over the streets knocking at car doors and windscreens for attention. They are made up of all manner of people; the blind, the physically challenged, elderly and weary looking young men and women.
Their modus operandi includes the use of children and the wearing of worn out apparels to solicit people’s sympathy.
Sometimes they become aggressive in their “operations” to the extent that they risk their lives and those of their young guides especially when the green light is displayed on the streetlight signifying motorists to move.
Majority of the beggars are concentrated at the Central Business District near the central market, popularly called, Beggars (Barimaansi) Line.
Their location is thus, accessible to people who need them to give alms. The alms is usually in the form of money, cow milk, cowries and other materials as requested by Mallams and Soothsayers who are consulted for various reasons by those offering them.
Afah Alhassan ,a 55 years visually impaired did not understand why some of them who had made so much money from their ‘trade’ should quit the job of begging since he claimed there was no other work for them to do.
Investigations conducted by Weekend Finder revealed that, some of the beggars had built their own houses, acquired taxis, trucks and are engaged in other economic ventures through their ‘trade’ over the years.
A 26-year-old cripple, Muniratu Alhassan who is a seamstress however expressed grave concern over the menace of begging and urged her colleagues not to use their unfortunate situation to solicit sympathy from people.
‘‘If you are blind or physically challenged, it does not mean you are stupid or incapable of earning a decent living for yourself and family,’’ she stated.
Commenting on the issue, the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Hanaan Gundaadow said the Assembly was mapping out strategies to contain the situation.
He said the Assembly would soon come out with appropriate measures to either relocate or settle the beggars at a central point.
“The situation is not a pleasant one and the Assembly is strategizing and would soon come out with measures to relocate them to a central point”
In the interim, Gundaadow said, the young boys and girls who serve as guides to the beggars would be taken care of under a programme yet to be unveiled by the Assembly to enable them go to school or learn a trade.
Renowned Scholars of Islam have condemned the act in no uncertain terms and called on the city authorities to clear them off the streets.
According to one renowned scholar Sheik Habib Da-uud, Islam frowns
on begging and only encourages people to give alms and to help the poor and needy in society. He insists that the practice must not be misconstrued by the beggars to want to engage in aggressive or any type of begging.
Sheik Habib added that “Islam encourages families and the society to take care of the vulnerable in society but that they are not suppose to go out there to beg for alms, they should live normal lives, and when people see the need to help them they would look for them, but not for them to chase people or making it a trade or a profession”
The Cleric also condemned parents who send their disabled children onto the streets to beg.
He added that even the cultural milieu in the Dagbon Traditional Area has no room for begging since it brings the image of families of the beggars into disrepute.
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