‘Why we prefer sweeping Lagos bridges to begging’

However, not everyone of the horde of disabled people who wished to join the new train were absorbed, but those who were not have also joined the few lucky ones in ridding the bridges of refuse and they are not regretting their decision as bridge users often show appreciation for their effort to keep the […]

However, not everyone of the horde of disabled people who wished to join the new train were absorbed, but those who were not have also joined the few lucky ones in ridding the bridges of refuse and they are not regretting their decision as bridge users often show appreciation for their effort to keep the environmentneat.
Speaking with Weekly Trust, some of them said the time had finally come for them to quit the age-long tradition of begging following the irritating manner in which people throw squeezed naira notes at them. Some who relocated to Lagos from the north also said with the worsening insecurity in parts of the country, especially the activities of insurgents in the north-east, most people were now reluctant to give alms to beggars.
“Those who fall within this category tend to take out their anger on poor beggars, even though some of them resorted to begging having lost everything they had to the activities of members of Boko Haram,” explained 34-year-old Ibrahim Shehu.” After all, they say there is dignity in labour,” added the physically challenged man who now ekes out a living by sweeping pedestrian bridges.
Ibro, as he is now known by the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) brigade and LAWMA staff at CMS bus stop on Lagos Island where he operates, said that some of those who treat them with disdain now see them from a positive angle, though, he admitted that they still engage in ‘small time begging,’but not as a full time job.
“Some of us are staff of LAWMA and are paid the sum of N10, 000 monthly. By the time you add what some people give us daily, it becomes meaningful,” he said contentedly. “What we get now can be regarded as free will donation and not the ones we were previously collecting at ‘gun-point,’” he added, laughing at his sense of humour.
Olasunkanmi Ajao also plies his trade around CMS bus stop and interestingly, though he is from the southwest, he regards Ibro as a brother: “To me Ibro is more like a brother and not just like anyone from the north. We do things in common, like going to eat and dividing the CMS Bridge into two halve, with one person working from the middle to the NEPA side of the area and the other to the lagoon side. It makes our job easier.”
For Ibro and Sunkanmi, the day’s work begins as from 8am and by 11 am they are through with sweeping and can then look up to passers-by for a little token that will keep body and soul together.
“We both live at Ebute Meta area from where we come to work on a daily basis. Even though, there is no house for us to look up to, but we make ourselves comfortable, along with others in front of shops after the owners have closed for the day,” he explained.
Weekly Trust investigations show that more and more physically challenged people are taking to the sweeping of footbridges instead of begging.
In Ikeja, not too far from the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, another set of disabled young men ensures that the pedestrian bridge is kept clean daily. Happily, they accept whatever is given to them by those who appreciate what they do.
Kazeem Bello, 27, said he came to Lagos some six years ago on a truck that brought rams to the metropolis.” My first port of call was the Alaba Rago area of Ojo. On arrival I joined other beggars, who sit in the middle of the road. It was tough and risky as one needed to be on the look out for state government officials who are constantly raiding the streets of beggars,” narrated Kazeem, who is excited with his new job but thinks life could still be better, and eagerly looks forward to the day LAWMA will engage him.
“Our job is not too difficult. All that is expected of us is to sweep refuse from top to the base of the bridge for those attached to waste disposal trucks to cart away,” he explained.
Every week day, especially during rush-hours, quite a number of them can be seen on the pedestrian bridges on the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, Lagos-Ikorodu expressway, Lagos-Badagry expressway among others, sweeping. They usually sweep from the top of the bridge to the first step on the ground and ensure the vicinity of the bridge is kept clean.
Bridge sweeper, Saheed Gbadamosi from Oyo State, explained that those engaged by the government like himself, wear LAWMA’s reflective jackets and caps while the others are on their own. He said 14 other cripples were given opportunity to sweep pedestrian bridges and that they have supervisors who check on them regularly to ensure they do their scheduled work.
“I was not born a cripple; it was condition of life that caused this for me. I learnt tailoring in Ibadan but when the going is tough for those who have their two legs working effectively and they come down to Lagos, I too had to move,” Gbadamosi, who operates at the Ikeja bus stop pedestrian bridge says of his background.
“People in Lagos have money they can give as to alms beggars but only few will look at you in Ibadan not to mention assisting you with money,” he said adding that he has been begging long before he relocated to Lagos.
On the opposite end of the bridge is Joel Duru, who said now that they earn N10,000 monthly, they are no longer allowed to beg, adding however that: “People who appreciate our work still give us money even when we don’t solicit.” This may not be exactly correct as our reporters observed that some of them still ask for alms discretely.         
Weekly Trust also observed that bus-conductors who need to change N100 or N200 denomination into smaller units like N10 or N20 often patronise them. Duru said whenever this happens “I am sure of getting a minimum of N10 gift.”
Speaking on the physically challenged people engaged by LAWMA, the agency’s managing director, Mr. Ola Oresanya, explained that it was one way to discourage begging in the megacity. He said the N10,000 stipend was what able-bodied sweepers were also paid as their monthly wage, noting that their job was not full- time.
Oresanya added that the report from the supervisors who manage the sweepers was encouraging, noting that they are diligent and hardworking in the discharge of their duties.