https://www.facebook.com/mansa.quainoo EPISODE 3
Ghana
is a peculiar nation with all sorts of characters and professions. The Bible, the Koran and our traditional values
teach us to give alms to people especially those in needs. In some countries, you will not see physically
challenge beggars on streets because they have trained themselves with
vocational or technical skills, hence, they work. We decide to give beggars
money instead of equipping them with skills. Although, some of these physically challenged
beggars on streets have skills yet, they find begging very lucrative; as a
result they do not work at all.
Street beggars have swag and taste. There is a
very popular beggar stationed at one of the streets in Accra, if you give him GHc
1.00, he will rain insults on you and haughtily ask you to come for your GHc
1.00. He will impudently ask “what will I do with GHc 1.00?” He expects
more. A beggar with class!
Due
to the juiciness of begging on the street, some able men and women have joined
the trade. The begging profession on the streets is now on different whole
level. Araba met a gentleman who was well
dressed in suit probably in his thirties with briefcase who approached her
meekly at Kokomlemle saying “Madam, Good Afternoon. My name is William, I am
from Kasoa. I came for an interview at New Town. Unfortunately, I have been
picked by thieves and I don’t have any money with me so please, if you can get something
small for me to pay my lorry fare.” Looking at the way he was dressed and his
composure Araba didn’t have any option than to give him GHc5.00. He politely
thanked her and walked away. Araba met William
for a second time asking for money with the same appearance around Paloma (Circle)
but this time around she didn’t pay him attention. Guess where she finally met
this professional beggar again? At a popular joint eating omo tuo with chilled
beer accompanied by two beautiful ladies!
It
is a very common practice by professional beggars at Tema station
especially the women, to carry babies at their back with phony drug prescription
soliciting money from car to car, claiming if we the passengers don’t give them
money, their babies will die. As for
Accra Mall, that is their center of operations. They chase both local and
foreigners with their well-rehearsed stories.
I
stopped giving money to street beggars because I was struggling to get a car
home at Dzorwulu junction when a shabbily dressed beggar came to stand beside
me at the bus stop. He pulled out
different cedi notes from his pockets and he muttered to himself “Today market
is not good at all. Look at the money I got (he was busily arranging the cedi
notes). Tomorrow I have to change my location. What can I do with this money?
(he chuckled)”. The beggar had about GHc 100.00 in his pocket and he was
complaining it was not enough. If this professional beggar makes GHc 100.00 a
day he makes than a worker on single spine salary pay roll!
Ghana man
and petty tricks! Giving is a choice! Choose who you give to wisely!
Yours Truly
Akosua Deli.ciouz
Yours Truly
Akosua Deli.ciouz
Comments