Monday, 20 January 2025 04:53

More children turn to refuse dump for survival as hardship hits, Vanguard reports

Rate this item
(0 votes)

While very few Nigerian children are still able to have tea and bread under the warm roof of their parents, many are now sourcing for their daily bread (scavenging) from refuse dumps.

Beginning from the new year, many of these children, between the ages of nine and 14, can be seen carrying sacks filled with various kinds of dirt, ranging from used cartons, empty drink cans and used plastic bottles and bowls.

Economy&Lifestyle’s encounter with Jacob Olorunfemi, a 10-year-old, revealed that the economy is dealing blows of hunger and difficulty on his parents and making him unable to attend lessons.

“I don’t go to lessons anymore because my parents said there is no money, after the Christmas celebration.
“I usually attend a lesson like school, where I pay N500 per week.

“My mother usually sweeps and wash clothes for customers.
“My father works at a bus park.

“I have a friend called Sule. He is twelve years old. He used to pick used plastics and condemned items and sell them.

“His mother beg for alms for a living.

“He advised me to join him in this scavenging routine and I have been able to save N2,000 since I started.”

Another encounter with Yekini Salam, an eleven year old, revealed that his father was late and had left him with his step mother who also had three children to take care of. This has led him to a scavenging routine for survival.

“I have not been in school for years. I dropped out when I lost my father. I don’t know who my mother is but I have a step mother and three step brothers.

“I usually hawk wares for my step mother. But last year she asked me to stop.

“Sometimes I help people run errands and they give me tokens in the form of food or cash for appreciation.

“Recently, I had to join some of my friends who are a little above my age in the scavenging routine.
“I move around places sourcing for plastics, cans and bottles.

“There are people who I sell it to. The materials are scaled and I am paid.

“I want to save enough money to learn aluminium window and door-frame construction skills.”

Commenting on the development, Amos Magbagbeola, a human rights activist said: “This is a very painful and worrisome situation presently in the country.

“You see children labouring day and night like adults just to feed.

“Such is an aftermath of the country’s present economic situation, which has degraded parents to struggling a hundred times more than they did years back to achieve the same or little outcome.

“Children are all over the streets begging for alms. These children are supposed to be in school.

“Even the public schools no longer give full free education. Children now buy their textbooks, and writing materials and even pay fees for some services rendered.

“The government needs to act fast, as this is becoming a menace in the country and doesn’t position us in a good light internationally.”

On her part, Juliana Obuh, a civil servant, said: “The situation is getting serious daily.
“Everywhere you see underage children begging alms for survival, doing all sorts of menial jobs and I wonder where their parents are.

“Even parents are living from hand to mouth now.

“The rate of poverty is now higher than before and the children are unfortunate to find themselves stuck in this predicament.

“How won’t they be used for perpetrating fraud and other evil deeds? Doing all these menial jobs harden their hearts and, because of their easy nature, they easily fall prey and remain targets of fraudsters to easily achieve their aims.

“The government needs to act fast because these children are the nation tomorrow.”

 

Vanguard

February 06, 2025

IBM exits Nigeria, others; transfers operations to another company

International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation, an American multinational technology company, has announced plans to exit…
February 01, 2025

Tinubu targeting opposition, not corruption — Atiku

Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized the…
February 02, 2025

Moving away from BMI, experts propose a new definition for obesity

A group of global experts is proposing a new way to define and diagnose obesity,…
February 01, 2025

Humans to compete against humanoid robots at half-marathon

China’s capital city of Beijing is all set to host an interesting half-marathon that will…
February 03, 2025

Gunmen kill 10 in attack on Ebonyi community – Police

The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of 10 people in an attack…
February 06, 2025

Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 489

Arab American, Muslim leaders decry Trump comments on Gaza U.S. Arab American and Muslim leaders,…
February 03, 2025

OpenAI introduces new AI tool to assist in research tasks

Leading generative artificial intelligence company OpenAI unveiled a new AI tool on Sunday named "Deep…
January 08, 2025

NFF appoints new Super Eagles head coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Éric Sékou Chelle as the new Head Coach…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Prof Wale Are Olaitan: Editorial Consultant; Femi Kawonise: Head, Production & Administration; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.