On Saturday April 13, 2024, the Bobo-Dioulasso city authorities gave a three-day ultimatum (April 13 to 16, 2024) to women and children who beg at the city’s traffic lights. The date was scheduled for Tuesday April 16, 2024 at 4pm. Looking at the situation this Wednesday April 17, 2024.
Tuesday April 16, 2024, around 8 am, a team from Express du Faso went to the headquarters of the public transport company Nour Voyage located in Diaradougou where these beggar women and children are gathered. When we arrive, we find a group of these people in front of the courtyard of Nour Voyage. After information from the station manager, the latter made us understand that nothing has been decided at the moment regarding the departure of these women and children while they still want to return to Niger . But a few minutes later, he tells us that a delegation from the Nigerien consulate is even present in Bobo-Dioulasso to take measures regarding their departure. As the date approached, there were a few children who had not joined the group yet. Obviously, they were still at a traffic light on the Boulevard de la Révolution begging. Two hours later, around 10 a.m., several sources reached by phone said most of those women and children were heading to the downtown Bobo-Dioulasso town hall to meet him. the authorities certainly.
The day after the ultimatum, on Wednesday April 17, 2024, we took another walk on the Boulevard de la Révolution where most of these women and young children stop. As it turns out, the areas around the traffic lights are emptied of these beggars. This means that the three day deadline given by the authorities to free the street beggars was really respected. However, the latter want to return to Niger even if others want to stay here for their socio-professional reintegration. According to regular sources, nothing has been decided yet regarding their departure to Niger.
Ben Alassane DAO
