• Govt to establish anti-begging agency

The Kano State Government has approved the upward review of students’ scholarship by 50 per cent.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje made the announcement at the pre-61st Independence Anniversary lecture yesterday in Kano.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said the payment of the new scholarship allowances would begin soon.

He said the decision was in line with the state government’s policy on free and compulsory education.

Ganduje, therefore, urged students to make the best use of the opportunity to pursue their educational career.

Commenting on the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), the governor urged those eligible among the students to go and obtain their voter cards before the expiration of the exercise.

The state government yesterday announced its plan to set up an anti-begging agency.

The commission will be constituted with the backing of a law prohibiting the act of begging, Ganduje said.

Chief Press Secretary Abba Anwar in a statement said Ganduje stated the plan when he received the leadership of Amalgamation of Civil Society Organisations during the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting at Africa House, Kano.

Ganduje, who said he was worried over the rising level of begging and increase in the number of beggars in Kano, said the state would partner civil society organisations (CSOs) to fight the menace.

“As calls from different quarters to the Kano State government to checkmate long held behaviour of street begging gathers momentum, the state government is set to establish an Anti-Street Begging Agency, with strong ties with civil society organisations and other stakeholders,” Ganduje said.

A delegation of CSOs, led by Malam Ibrahim Waiya, called for a streamlining fight against street begging in Kano, which is home to hundreds of thousands of Almajiris.

(The Nation)

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