•Hawk, wash cars in traffic

By Elizabeth Adegbesan

The economy is not smiling on anybody, this time around. While the poor lament, the rich also cry.

Irrespective of other perceived bad policies that fuelled this hardship, the cash crunch occasioned by naira re-design, nailed the coffin.

However, the recent removal of fuel subsidies is now conducting the funeral of an otherwise deadly situation for people already impoverished.

An average Nigerian family, today, can hardly afford a good meal, let alone make it three square.
The effect is telling more about the vulnerable lot – the children.

Many parents, who can no longer meet the needs of their children, now send them out to do menial jobs, despite being underage.

Children between the ages of six to 12 years now hawk or beg. Others are seen with buckets of water washing cars in the traffic.

For these kids, life has become a gamble. While some kind vehicle owners appreciate them with little sums, others just keep their windows shut.

Some parents have also perfected the act of willingly giving out their wards to perceived rich homes in anticipation of monthly or yearly monetary remunerations.

The agonising story of these lots is that these rich homes end up turning these children into slaves.
Such is the case of Tuminu Zacheaus, a boy of nine, who washes vehicles in traffic jams, as a means of survival.

Narrating his ordeal, he said: “I used to attend a government primary school, until last year when my mother, who is the breadwinner of the house, asked that I stop schooling.

“I was idle at home, until some friends of mine, who are of the same age, introduced me to washing cars, and I am glad doing it.

“I make up to N1,000 on a lucky day. We move from place to place, especially, where and when there is traffic in a particular location.

“There are four of us in the family and I am the third child. My two eldest sisters live with a distant relative. My younger brother and I live with my mother who washes clothes for people.”

For Lukman Kamoru, a 12-year-old, who does all kinds of menial jobs for his daily bread, life has dealt a big blow to him after losing his mother at a tender age.

“I don’t have a mother. I live with my father and stepmother. My father is a money collector in the garage and hardly has time for me. He comes home thrice a week. But the recent increase in transport fare now makes him come home once a week. I haven’t gone to school in five to two years now and have been feeding from hand to mouth.

“My stepmother hawks pure water for a living and she has two kids. She feeds me once in a while.
“I started begging recently since I don’t want to die of hunger. Before I wash cars in traffic jams to survive. There are children of my age and those older than me doing it. But traffic jams do not happen every day so I decided to beg as no one will employ a young boy like me.

“Daily I make N500 to N800 per day. Now I hardly make N500 because no one is willing to give.
“I have given up on schooling and adapted to hustling on the street. Sometimes I don’t go home. I sleep in spaces in the market or on tables in front of a shop closer to this place.”

However, Eight-year-old Monsurat Adekanju has the opportunity to attend a government primary school and is forced to hawk dried fish after school every day, including weekends.

“I attend a government primary school. My elder brother and I do hawk dry fish for my mother every day after school. She said the proceeds will help support buying reading materials, clothes and feeding us.
“My mother also hawks dry fish.”

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its 2021 Nigeria Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) and National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) said that 31% of children aged 5-17 years were engaged in child labour while 27 per cent of children aged 5-17 years were engaged in economic activities above their age-specific threshold.

The bureau also said that 29 per cent of children aged 5-17 years were working under hazardous working conditions, mostly reported as carrying heavy loads, exposure to extreme cold, heat or humidity, and working with dangerous tools or heavy machinery as at the time of the survey.

The International Labour Organization in a 2020 report noted that Nigeria has the highest recorded rate of child labour in West Africa estimated at 15 million.

Imagine what percentage of that lot would have increased due to the continuous deterioration of the living standards of many Nigerians.

A Human right activists and Founder, Ambassador for Peace and Enlightenment Foundation, Prince Ichie, noted that not only has child labour increased but also well-to-do persons now have to bury their shame and come out to beg.

“Child labour is on the increase on a daily basis. You will see quite a number of children who drop out of school hawking because there is nothing at home.

“Many of them have resorted to begging. Their parents are not able to make it in the present state of the economy, and most of them have turned to commercial beggars and executive beggars. It is getting so tough.

“Recently, a woman was arrested at Idumota because of child labour. This woman brings children of six to seven years as her apprentice. They carry cartons of goods on their heads to distances. This was not the issue. With all this labour, the woman hit them with any available tool. If she hits them and they don’t cry, she bites them. But I was happy when I was told that she was apprehended. That is one out of millions.
“You see some parents give out their children to people who subject them to slavery.

“We have arrested so many of them but the economic condition of Nigeria is getting worse.

“The new economic policies are not people-friendly. It makes people poorer. It is disheartening because I receive calls daily from people reporting on the increase in child labour and begging for alms. Many are dying from hunger. How many responsibilities can N30, 000 minimum wages cater for in this economy?
“The increment of fuel price has also contributed to the deterioration of living standards of people in this country. The price of every commodity has increased.

“For a family to eat one square meal, which is not even a balanced diet, is very hard.

“In fact, Nigeria is becoming so tough and people are becoming confused. We don’t really know what is happening. On a daily basis, we assume that things will be better since the eight years of the unfruitful regime of the last administration.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/07/economy-more-children-hit-the-streets-in-search

It will never be well with APC and her inhumane policies.

Things are harder presently, many students now skips school, lectures and teachers not punctual, few worshippers, many cars parked, many selling their properties, girls now offer their body for less, guys do unimaginable things to get money both legal and illegal. But I still don't understand something about the price of fuel ( before it was 215 now 515 was government subsidizing more than 60 percent before? Cos 515-215 is 300.

They haven't seen anything yet.

They thought they were doing igbos

Heliinues, very soon, your parents will push you out to the street to beg for food. That's when you'll realise that you dug your own grave

May it be well with Nigeria

HenryThegreat1:
•Hawk, wash cars in traffic

By Elizabeth Adegbesan

The economy is not smiling on anybody, this time around. While the poor lament, the rich also cry.

Irrespective of other perceived bad policies that fuelled this hardship, the cash crunch occasioned by naira re-design, nailed the coffin.

However, the recent removal of fuel subsidies is now conducting the funeral of an otherwise deadly situation for people already impoverished.

An average Nigerian family, today, can hardly afford a good meal, let alone make it three square.
The effect is telling more about the vulnerable lot – the children.

Many parents, who can no longer meet the needs of their children, now send them out to do menial jobs, despite being underage.

Children between the ages of six to 12 years now hawk or beg. Others are seen with buckets of water washing cars in the traffic.

For these kids, life has become a gamble. While some kind vehicle owners appreciate them with little sums, others just keep their windows shut.

Some parents have also perfected the act of willingly giving out their wards to perceived rich homes in anticipation of monthly or yearly monetary remunerations.

The agonising story of these lots is that these rich homes end up turning these children into slaves.
Such is the case of Tuminu Zacheaus, a boy of nine, who washes vehicles in traffic jams, as a means of survival.

Narrating his ordeal, he said: “I used to attend a government primary school, until last year when my mother, who is the breadwinner of the house, asked that I stop schooling.

“I was idle at home, until some friends of mine, who are of the same age, introduced me to washing cars, and I am glad doing it.

“I make up to N1,000 on a lucky day. We move from place to place, especially, where and when there is traffic in a particular location.

“There are four of us in the family and I am the third child. My two eldest sisters live with a distant relative. My younger brother and I live with my mother who washes clothes for people.”

For Lukman Kamoru, a 12-year-old, who does all kinds of menial jobs for his daily bread, life has dealt a big blow to him after losing his mother at a tender age.

“I don’t have a mother. I live with my father and stepmother. My father is a money collector in the garage and hardly has time for me. He comes home thrice a week. But the recent increase in transport fare now makes him come home once a week. I haven’t gone to school in five to two years now and have been feeding from hand to mouth.

“My stepmother hawks pure water for a living and she has two kids. She feeds me once in a while.
“I started begging recently since I don’t want to die of hunger. Before I wash cars in traffic jams to survive. There are children of my age and those older than me doing it. But traffic jams do not happen every day so I decided to beg as no one will employ a young boy like me.

“Daily I make N500 to N800 per day. Now I hardly make N500 because no one is willing to give.
“I have given up on schooling and adapted to hustling on the street. Sometimes I don’t go home. I sleep in spaces in the market or on tables in front of a shop closer to this place.”

However, Eight-year-old Monsurat Adekanju has the opportunity to attend a government primary school and is forced to hawk dried fish after school every day, including weekends.

“I attend a government primary school. My elder brother and I do hawk dry fish for my mother every day after school. She said the proceeds will help support buying reading materials, clothes and feeding us.
“My mother also hawks dry fish.”

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its 2021 Nigeria Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) and National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) said that 31% of children aged 5-17 years were engaged in child labour while 27 per cent of children aged 5-17 years were engaged in economic activities above their age-specific threshold.

The bureau also said that 29 per cent of children aged 5-17 years were working under hazardous working conditions, mostly reported as carrying heavy loads, exposure to extreme cold, heat or humidity, and working with dangerous tools or heavy machinery as at the time of the survey.

The International Labour Organization in a 2020 report noted that Nigeria has the highest recorded rate of child labour in West Africa estimated at 15 million.

Imagine what percentage of that lot would have increased due to the continuous deterioration of the living standards of many Nigerians.

A Human right activists and Founder, Ambassador for Peace and Enlightenment Foundation, Prince Ichie, noted that not only has child labour increased but also well-to-do persons now have to bury their shame and come out to beg.

“Child labour is on the increase on a daily basis. You will see quite a number of children who drop out of school hawking because there is nothing at home.

“Many of them have resorted to begging. Their parents are not able to make it in the present state of the economy, and most of them have turned to commercial beggars and executive beggars. It is getting so tough.

“Recently, a woman was arrested at Idumota because of child labour. This woman brings children of six to seven years as her apprentice. They carry cartons of goods on their heads to distances. This was not the issue. With all this labour, the woman hit them with any available tool. If she hits them and they don’t cry, she bites them. But I was happy when I was told that she was apprehended. That is one out of millions.
“You see some parents give out their children to people who subject them to slavery.

“We have arrested so many of them but the economic condition of Nigeria is getting worse.

“The new economic policies are not people-friendly. It makes people poorer. It is disheartening because I receive calls daily from people reporting on the increase in child labour and begging for alms. Many are dying from hunger. How many responsibilities can N30, 000 minimum wages cater for in this economy?
“The increment of fuel price has also contributed to the deterioration of living standards of people in this country. The price of every commodity has increased.

“For a family to eat one square meal, which is not even a balanced diet, is very hard.

“In fact, Nigeria is becoming so tough and people are becoming confused. We don’t really know what is happening. On a daily basis, we assume that things will be better since the eight years of the unfruitful regime of the last administration.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/07/economy-more-children-hit-the-streets-in-search

Pinshure or this na bunkum

now tell me, whose faults are all these?

News alert
Dear supporters of our great president, the great Jagaban of Africa.
Obiidiots are hurting badly knowing very well that their case at the election tribunal has flopped badly. Their new tactics is to blame our great president for any misfortune that befall them. Kindly disregard their social media tantrums.
However, if u choose to respond, then give it back to them fire for fire

adebayo987:
May it be well with Nigeria

Wishes never made any nation great or just prayers

MRMRMR:
News alert
Dear supporters of our great president, the great Jagaban of Africa.
Obiidiots are hurting badly knowing very well that their case at the election tribunal has flopped badly. Their new tactics is to blame our great president for any misfortune that befall them. Kindly disregard their social media tantrums.
However, if u choose to respond, then give it back to them fire for fire

So only Obidients are affected by subsidy, high inflation, free float of naira, increased taxation? Abi the 20 youths killed in Benue are obidients yet Tinubu won in Benue

This hardship hits differently, beggars on the streets are numerous.

Hmm. It is well
The govt needs to ban street begging especially by kids
It's an eyesore

Give us from which location these street kids are from. If South East make the list, let me break my legs.

It will favour me and my family mo.rons need to learn.

I think all the presidents policies are just speculative , especially floating of the currency .

Rootprof:
Things are harder presently, many students now skips school, lectures and teachers not punctual, few worshippers, many cars parked, many selling their properties, girls now offer their body for less, guys do unimaginable things to get money both legal and illegal. But I still don't understand something about the price of fuel ( before it was 215 now 515 was government subsidizing more than 60 percent before? Cos 515-215 is 300.

I bought 542 here in Abuja,opposite the NNPC headquarters in Nigeria.

That Total filling station there.

Akwamkpuruamu:


Wishes never made any nation great or just prayers

Hope is part of humanity and in many cases it has helped.

A country where people get mind vote Buhari 2 times doesn’t deserved pity.

A country where a hardworking man with specialised skill in fixing dead car gearboxes is being mocked by political jobbers and sycophants who go around begging for handouts is not yet ready for development.

SpecialAdviser:
Give us from which location these street kids are from. If South East make the list, let me break my legs.

It will favour me and my family mo.rons need to learn.

Leave them let them be deceiving themselves...I wasn't happy when I saw yoruba names on that list but I felt,they are gradually losing it. This is because i grew up amongst them.

In those days,u hardly see yorubas engage in begging,because they used to engage their children in technical trade which made them to become good in mechanic,carpentry,electrician'sand name it.

Today as I speak to u, some yorubas are joining some people here in the north,to follow truck loads of cows/ goat/tomatoes to travel to their home states during sallah all because things have gone bad.

They have lost it that,I wonder how they now engage in things I never knew them for.

This calls for rethinking and not abuse among those of them who accept constructive criticisms.

Ok

helinues:
Pinshure or this na bunkum

As if you don't see them around you......continue to live in denial.

The famine that would hit Nigeria, particularly NE, NW and parts of SW would be unprecedented if things continue to deteriorate under this drug lord. Millions will eventually fall into famine and starvation conditions, particularly in those regions I mentioned.

The judiciary should save Nigeria by giving a judgment otherwise, this country is doomed.

Guyman01:
A country where people get mind vote Buhari 2 times doesn’t deserved pity.

A country where a hardworking man with specialised skill in fixing dead car gearboxes is being mocked by political jobbers and sycophants is not yet ready for development.

Them go hear am tatatatata. Yahaya Bello

Omo, na look I just dey look these days. Nigerians are doomed to suffer because they've failed to evolve as normal human beings. When humans fail to evolve, they go extinct and that's what's is beginning to happen in Nigeria.

Imagine as you said, some people from a particular section of the country were busy mocking someone who is hardworking and engaged in something as legitimate as gear box repairing! These same mongrels always litter social media begging for money to feed, yet they can't lift a finger to work and be productive in their miserable lives! They also had a choice to vote for an accountable man but because they're still primitive neanderthals, they supported a drug lord who is now driving them to their untimely deaths.

I won't pity them because they deserve the calamities currently bedeviling them.

Meanwhile some miscreants were celebrating the other day when Lagos Govt banned Street trading thinking they are doing the Great Igbos. Now Lukman Kamoru and 8 years old Monsurat Adekanju from imo state are on the news.

Very soon people will start selling their children in open market to teach the Igbos a lesson.

Election have consequences let's us all suffer both young and old Atleast we don't learn from experience

May More Children Hit The Streets In Search Of What To Eat favor me and my family

Same with olosho

Nawa
This is what the government wants the citizens to be (poor and poor and poor). So when they come with a loaf of bread, you have no other option available than to dance to their tune.

Akwamkpuruamu:


So only Obidients are affected by subsidy, high inflation, free float of naira, increased taxation? Abi the 20 youths killed in Benue are obidients yet Tinubu won in Benue

Good question!
Subsidy affects every one. However, many Nigerians are happy that it has been removed. Free float of Nigera vis a vis dollar is also good a decision. Inflation has been there b4 Jagaban assumed office though subsidy removal & naira free float could increase inflation in the short term. But in the long term, these are good policies. Also note, tax has not been increased under Jagaban, rather he is reduced it. Criticize govt policy constructively to make them work better. Not that when it rains you blame Jagaban, when the sun shines you blame him. When u see a poor man on the street you blame Jagaban. That wat I mean that some pple blame their life misfortune of several years on Jagaban.

You can hardly see a Christian child on the street begging...

But u see those head slamming mohammadian terrorist children...

You will see them in every corner of the street begging.

Their parents give birth like rabbits,all they know about is sex..

As a Christian never u help any of those head slamming terrorists...

They will come back to kill you ...

If it gets worst before getting better is equivalent to staying "worse" or "bad" in mathematics because nothing is worst than the "worst" itself hence "worse", "bad", "status quo", "fair", "good", "better" and then the "best" since after the independent are all definitions of getting better