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Niger authorities have decided to take “drastic measures” to combat the continued rampant begging in the country’s cities, especially the capital Niamey. At a press conference on August 13, 2024, Brigadier General Assoumane Abdou Harouna, Governor of the Niamey region, said that the authorities hope to end this begging phenomenon that “tarnishes the image of the authorities and the country.”
To this end, measures have been announced to combat this phenomenon. This concerns in particular the regrouping of beggars in Niamey and their repatriation to their villages of origin. “In case of recidivism, the latter will be sent to the main irrigation areas, where they will be subjected to forced, but not coerced, work. This approach aims to discourage begging in Niger’s capital, while seeking a more dignified solution for the individuals concerned,” said Brigadier General Assoumane Abdou Harouna, governor of the Niamey region, as reported by local media ActuNiger. Authorities say begging is a form of laziness and a danger to road traffic.
“This activity does not reflect the values of dignity and work that we promote,” said a Nigerien colleague. According to him, firm instructions have been issued to the gendarmerie and police services, prohibiting them from returning to the capital, although this begging has not been met only in Niamey.
“In 2022, repatriation operations were organized and several flights brought back thousands of Nigeriens from cities such as Dakar, Abidjan or Accra. However, what is worrying is that these people often return to these countries, as one of our correspondents in Senegal observed. This shows that the problem persists beyond national borders,” the media recalled.
“This observation is painful: begging not only affects the country’s international image, but also reflects profound socio-economic challenges at home. The authorities must find lasting solutions to this problem at both the national and international levels. This requires concerted efforts to improve living conditions, create economic opportunities and strengthen social security systems in order to prevent begging at its source,” commented ActuNiger. In April 2024, an inter-ministerial steering committee was established to organize the repatriation of Nigerien migrants abroad.
We learned from the same source that the Commission, whose mission is to facilitate the return, reception, transportation and reintegration of Nigerien citizens who encounter difficulties abroad, is a system that targets mainly Nigerien beggars in several capitals of the subregion, where in neighboring countries they are arrested and sometimes repatriated in inhumane conditions.
“While previous actions have failed, the authorities hope that this new approach will be more effective and rigorous. The goal is to put an end to this scourge that damages the country’s image and guarantee a dignified return for the citizens concerned. The current measures, while necessary to manage the current situation, must be complemented by a global strategy to address the root causes of begging,” the colleague presented.
This announcement by the Niamey authorities has caused many controversial reactions, but this has not left indifferent many countries in the subregion, not to mention in Africa, where this reality is also most shared on the continent. … Each of the countries concerned has its own declaration or initiative. Besides this, the results so far have also fallen far short of the announcements and promises. OuagadougouAbidjan, Bamako or DakarIn short, these actions last only as long as the flash in the pan or the duration of the external financing that triggered them.
The reality of begging therefore poses a challenge to government and power, characterised by the fact that the concerned populations view the phenomenon in very different ways.
Omar L. Ouedraogo
Lefaso.com
Illustration (Burundi Ecology, ANP)
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