Since the announcement of the redesigning of the Naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) beggars in the commercial city of Kano begun to witnessed low patronage due to shortage of lower currency.
Most beggers who were until lately visible on strategic spots in the city are now vacating those areas sequel to lack of patronage occasioned by cash squeeze. Some beggers popularly known as (Almajirai) who are seeing at various markets in the city were chanting slogan on how they are adversely affected by the shortage of the currency.
While chanting songs condemning the policy some of them resorted to house to house begging for alms and food items to take care of their family needs.
In an interview with one of the street beggers who do not want his name in print told PRIME TIME NEWS that, the shortage of new Naira notes has created more harm than good to their families as people are longer patronize them ” the effect of this policy has caused severe hunger among our family members, and our already deteriorating situation is aggravating as you can see most of us are people with disabilities ”
“We are in a difficult situation and we need urgent attention especially from government, we are witnessesing decline in paratronage, and government should come to our aide to alleviate our suffering”.
Investigation by the PRIME TIME NEWS revealed that there are sharp increase in the number of beggars, men and women who now move from house to house in search of crumb. A residents, Idi Haruna, said Kano is witnessing unprecedented number of able bodied Beggers, children and adults who stop people in the middle of the road to beg for food. ” as a business man, it is difficult to meet the demands of my family now, where is the money to offer to beggars, business is crumbling, this currency swap is becoming something else” he lamented.
