Beggars "With A Choice": They Snub Ministry

A meeting by the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment in Accra on Wednesday to finalise preparations for rehabilitation and skills training for registered beggars ended abruptly. This was because the beggars refused to offer themselves for training in various vocations, arguing that similar training programmes in the past yielded no positive results.

Consequently, they said, they will not waste their time training again. A few of them who were reeking of alcohol prevented their colleagues from registering for the training programme which is to be conducted at various vocational training institutions across the country.

Some of them expressed dissatisfaction at the arrangement for the training saying they wanted to be convinced that it would be different from the previous ones before taking part.

A deputy Director at the Department of Social Welfare, Kofi Kumah said he was not surprised at the behaviour of the beggars because they wanted “to justify their continuous stay on the streets”.