BIG DREAMS GIVE STRENGTH, DOES NOT TAKE AWAY ANY

 

The Hearing impaired taking lessons 

on First Aid skills

 

In my last publication on this Platform, I intentionally did not reveal my status in the disability community. Those of you that read in between the lines may have gone ahead of this particular piece to decode my status. If you attempted the best you achieved was putting yourself on a guess mode, a situation that no matter how tried, denied you the confidence to discuss my status from the position of assurance. To release my esteemed reader from that position of loss of confidence regarding my status, I declare:

"As I saddle the drivers’ seat, leading the discussions on PARA-Sports Pavilion and Power-lifting Column on this Platform I do so, writing as a Person-With-Disability, a physically impaired person".

Before more is said here, I wish to note and boldly too that I am a source of inspiration and motivation to many people in life, within and outside the Disability community. I wish that all in the disability community realize that they are. Truth is, even if the only thing a PDW achieved in a year is survival, a lot has already been done by him or her. Taken cognizance of the complain of the average Nigerian in the streets each day, a person-with-disability, will celebrated himself/herself enormous for surviving each passing day. I say cheers, kudos and bravoooooo to all of us members of the Disability community, in and outside this Platform. We individually and collectively achieved so much. If anyone feels otherwise that is entirely up to the person. There is really nothing I can do about that. I make this assertion with every sense of humility and respect to all, especially the so-called able persons. One of the things I owe myself everyday is celebration of me. To my maker I show Him my gratitude daily. I encourage every living to find time daily to do the two. There is power that comes with it. I will continue to do it over and over and over again...

REDESIGNED NAIRA NOTES: IS IT A CASE OF EXCLUSION OF THE INCLUDED?

 

Most of you my esteemed reader are conversant with this prompt: “Do not expose your banking details to third parties”. My position is informed by the fact that it is a common parlance in the banking sector; a popular advice of the banks to the banking public. I have always treated it as an instruction laced with a command, a law even. According to those that know better, the ideas behind the instruction are to:

• Protect and promote the customers Privacy Right
• Protect the customers Bank Account

These reasons are so vital and of huge interest to every bank customer. In terms of inclusive banking, I have always had my doubt, and therefore, was very curious and restless, however I was at a point convinced that inclusive banking will for a very long time remain a fluke in Nigeria, at best an oxymoron. I have always used every little opportunity I had to assert my position and state my reasons clearly.

PARA-SPORTS PAVILION AND POWER-LIFTING COLUMN: ARENA FOR THE PERSONS-WITH-DISABILITIES (PWDs)

 

Let me start on this note:

Welcome on Board the Power-lifting column of the PARA-Sports Pavilion, of or Platform, the

Done with my very brief pleasantry, let me say: this column is disability oriented. It is a purpose driven vehicle for the Persons-With-Disabilities (PWDs). It is centered on pushing the collective interests and aspirations of the PWDs. Briefly speaking; it is a platform for voicing the concerns, expectations and needs of the disability community. Put simply, it is an umbrella for showcasing the achievements, skills and endowments of the PWDs, especially in sports. Indeed we have achieved a lot, individually and collectively. As the driver of the PARA-Sports Pavilion, and the Power-lifting Column presently, I commit to ensuring equitable representation of all interests that define the disability community.

Efforts will be made to cover the entire country, in the area of PARA-Sports. In view of this Para-Sporting activities in each of the states and at the national level will be appropriately reported. Activities of the various PARA-Sports Federations and that of the State Associations will also be covered and efforts centered on giving each of them equal coverage: God giving me the strength. Truth is, I am willing, I am committed, but like every other human being on the planet earth I am limited one way or the other.

EMBRACE IT, SOMETHING VERY UNIQUE, SPECIAL AND REWARDING IS KNOCKING

 

Quickly and urgently too let me reveal to you the juicy part of my story: the secret behind this piece of work that you are reading. It is also the reason I am elated, sharing with you my esteemed reader this particular moment. I am very glad to introduce, to bring to your doorstep something unique, enjoyable and highly rewarding. It is something amazingly heartwarming, nerve suiting and inclusion driven: the PARA-SPORTS Pavilion. I am so elated, deeply excited and encouraged introducing and sharing this Platform with you. Of course I can’t ever imagine that YOU, the reader of this piece or anybody known to you or that associates with you will for any reason  identify with the very shameful, despicable and senseless behaviour, such as: I do not care about Persons-With-Disabilities (PWDs).

Now that you know my reason for being joyful is the same with yours, I can now confidently say that our joy is complete, our energy renewed and our interest for the PWDs reinvigorated profoundly. To this end therefore, let me as a matter of fact welcome you specially on Board the train of inclusion, for the numerous trilling encounters, and joyful moments, loaded to the brim with PWDs oriented issues driven through PARA-SPORTS News, stories, infotainment and advocacy issues. 

Let me say it loud and clear, especially to those who over the years believe seriously that sports and sporting activities have cult-like following that they have never seen anything, I mean their excitement is still little, if they have not embraced the fun encapsulated in Para-sports. I can assure you without mincing words that the excitement is so huge. Thus, as followers of sports, you are on a jolly ride with Para-sports Pavilion on this platform. In this regard I wish to assure at this point that rather than reduce the intensity and magnitude of fun that accrue to you as followers of sports, PARA-SPORTS Pavilion will not only sustain your interest and zeal, but shall surpass the existing records that you have. The mission of the driver is to add, advance and diversify your interest consistently, and in doing so lay a formidable base, laced with multiple opportunities for wealth generation and job creation.

NAIRA REDESIGN AND SWAPPING OF OLD TO NEW NOTES: REMEMBERING PERSONS-WITH-DISABILITIES

 

The redesigned N500 Naira Note

Please click link to our radio. https://scoremedia22.mixlr.com/recordings/2015851

It is no longer news in Nigeria that the Central Bank of Nigeria, under the leadership of Godwin Emefiele, recently redesigned three denominations of the Naira banknotes (N200, N500 and N1000) out of the 8 Naira banknotes (N5, N10, N20, N50 and N100) that serve as Nigeria’s legal tender.

About four years before the recent Naira Notes redesign, the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had enacted the “Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018”, which the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari signed into law. This law made provision for full integration of Persons-With-Disabilities (PWDs), in Nigeria. Many of the PWDs, their parents, relations and numerous others that have interest in seeing the PWDs realize their God given talents, and through this development contribute significantly to Nigeria’s growth and sustainable development, had profoundly given huge sigh of relieve at the emergence of this law. In their calculation, most probably, inclusion in Nigeria, of PWDs will no longer be a challenge.

NAIRA REDESIGN AND CURRENCY SWAP: THE VOICES OF REALITY COMING FROM THE FIELD

Recently, October 26, 2022 to be précised the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele, announced that new Naira notes will be introduced to replace old Naira denominations of  N200, N500 and N1000. Following this development, the President of Nigeria Mohammadu Buhari, on November, 23, 2022, launched the new Naira notes of  N200, N500 and N1000. 

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the currency redesign exercise was done to address the issues and challenges associated with individuals who have made currency fraud their major means of income and source of livelihood. The activities of those nefarious individuals and groups include but not limited to hoarding of the currencies, leading to shortage of clean and fit banknotes and increase in the rate of counterfeiting in the country. Thus the benefits of the new Naira redesign, going by the promises of the CBN, include checking the rate of counterfeiting, strengthening the economy, reducing the expenditure on management, promotion of financial inclusion and enhancement of the CBN’s visibility of the money supply.

NAIRA REDESIGN: SOME QUESTIONS THE MSMEs RAISED

 Report by Chinazaekpere Nnabugwu

Some of the previous denominations of the Naira Notes and Coins

The central bank of Nigeria (CBN), which some people will rather call the Apex bank, and others the bankers bank is vested with the responsibility to issue and manage the legal tender currency in Nigeria. The legal tender in Nigeria is comprised of the Naira, Kobo and eNaira. Furtherance to the fulfilment of this part of CBN's responsibility, the bank recently (late 2022) came out with a policy to redesign three out of the 8 currency denominations of the country's legal tender banknotes. The affected notes are the: