The Kwara State government has sought legal collaboration with the judiciary to eradicate social vices such as street begging, hawking, child labour, and abuse. The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Development, aims to address these issues through legal frameworks to ensure public safety.

Hon. Mariam Nnafatima Imam, PhD, Commissioner for Social Development, announced the plan during a recent meeting with Kwara State's Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara, at the High Court of Justice in Ilorin.

Hon. Mariam stated that while the ministry is committed to uplifting vulnerable groups and eliminating social vices, ongoing efforts to curb street begging, hawking, and other harmful practices have yielded limited results. She highlighted that offenders often repeat these acts, necessitating stronger legal interventions.

Hon. Mariam noted that the best approach to forestalling street begging menace is through legal means where offenders are charged to court for prosecution and sentenced or heavily fined without delay, to serve as deterent to others, making partnership with the State Judiciary a necessity.

She reaffirmed Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's continous support to ensure safety and well-being of all residents, especially, children, vulnerable groups and other disadvantaged members of the state, intimating the Chief Judge on the need to properly engage the traditional rulers in the state to tackle some of the social vices through the traditional institutions.

In his remark, the Chief Judge of Kwara State, Hon. Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara, commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's exemplary leadership and unrelenting efforts at ensuring social equity and justice in the state.

Hon. Justice Adebara also appreciated the Commissioner for her proactiveness and foresight in ensuring that the Ministry of Social Development is taking the lead in securing social responsibility and uplifting the disadvantaged members of the state.

He noted that the State Judiciary will collaborate with the Ministry on strategic action plans and implementation of policies and programmes to eradicate street begging, hawking and other social vices in the state.