After three consecutive nonappearances, the United Bank for Africa, UBA finally showed up before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the High Court of Lagos state in a suit alleging the bank of flouting provisions in the Special Peoples Law of Lagos state.

The suit, marked ID/ADR/1829 was instituted by a popular Lagos-based disabled man, Emmanuel Oladipupo Bada who sustained an injury while trying to use ATM at the Oba Akran Branch of the UBA in Ikeja, area of Lagos State. He is praying the court should mandate the bank to compensate and pay him damages for the injury alleging that he sustained the injury due to UBA negligence and disregard to extant laws.

Bada, a lawyer, pioneer member of the Governing Board, Office of Disability Affairs, Lagos State and an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Justice in Lagos State had dragged UBA to court alleging the bank of discrimination against persons with disability over its failure to provide usable vamp for the disabled persons in the bank’s premises.

In an encounter with SECURITY MONITOR Bada who appeals to UBA to show compassion and include his plea in the bank’s lists of Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR narrated that “sometimes late last year I was at UBA branch, along Oba Akran road, Ikeja. I wanted to use their ATM Machine and given the fact that I am physically challenged walking with the aid of crutches.

In the process of trying to access the staircase leading to the Machine, I had a painful fall due to the slipperiness of the tiles laid on the staircase and I equally attempted looking for staircase railings to break the fall, but there was none available neither was any usable ramp put in place to make the Bank facility user friendly to Persons with Disabilities”.

Bada explained how painful it was and how he has been struggling to raise fund to treat the injury he sustained in the bank. He said that “This act is view as discrimination against PWDs contrary to the provisions of the Lagos State Special People’s Laws of 2011.  Fallen down at the UBA further affected my legs causing further injury to my health”.

Bada added that when the accident happened, he immediately called the attention of the Bank’s Operations Manager to the incidence. He said he physically went back to the Bank accompanied by his wife. “The management team pretended to be showing concern and remorse to my plight and promise to get in touch with me but that was the last I heard from them. I was thereafter abandoned in the cold to lick my wounds which was occasioned by the discriminatory act of the Bank.

The Security Officials of the Bank present on the day of the incident was called on the day of my revisit to the bank to lodge the complaint and he further corroborated my story while stating how the incidence happened but no caring gesture coming from UBA.

This just goes to show the nonchalant attitudes of the Bank to the relevant laws of the State. It is unfair for such a corporate organization like the UBA to be treating the Citizens with impunity. It is my hope that I will get justice deserved and this Court matter is therefore set to address this vital issue of the law.

Justice Ipaye who had earlier expressed displeasure over UBA nonappearance in the previous sittings on 12the January, 2022 ordered the case for mediation and adjourned the case to March 6, 2022.

Counsels to UBA however declined comment when approached by our correspondent at the court premises.

The Federal Government will soon begin the second phase of the restructured Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) 2.0 in Lagos State, Mrs Yetunde Arobieke has said.

Arobieke, the Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Empowerment, said this in Ikeja on Thursday, during the Sensitisation of the new Restructured GEEP 2.0.

She was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Olujimi Ige.

The commissioner said that GEEP, a programme under the National Social Investment Programme was meant for the poor and vulnerable.

According to her, GEEP is designed to provide access to credit for poor and vulnerable people who are at the bottom of the economic pyramid, which includes persons living with disability.

”The targeted beneficiaries will be people who are already in business enterprises and they would include traders, artisans, farmers/agricultural workers, enterprising youths and other categories of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

”In the last four years, GEEP has provided incremental loans of between N10,000 and N300,000 to about 2.3 million beneficiaries.

”The beneficiaries are traders, artisans, enterprising youth, agricultural workers and other micro-service providers under its flagship programmes of TraderMoni, MarketMoni and Farmer Moni,” she said.

From left, State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Prince Waheed Ishola; Representative, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Olujimi Ige; Director (Partnership) Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs Olayinka Oye-Bangbose and Director Admin & Human Resources, Mrs Bello Kudirat during the Sensitization of the new Restructured Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) 2.0 in Lagos on Thursday (27/01/22)
From left, State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Prince Waheed Ishola; Representative, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Olujimi Ige; Director (Partnership) Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs Olayinka Oye-Bangbose and Director Admin & Human Resources, Mrs Bello Kudirat during the Sensitization of the new Restructured Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) 2.0 in Lagos on Thursday (27/01/22)
Arobieke said that TraderMoni was specifically designed to empower youths that had right to education, orphans, abandoned out of school children and those with disability.

She added that MarketMoni was designed to empower under privileged and marginalised women in the society and lift them out of poverty, and the targeted were the female-headed households.

The commissioner said that the FarmerMoni programme would focus on entrepreneurship, whereby preferred institutions would provide complete value-chain to the beneficiaries of the FarmerMoni.

She said that it was expected to generate growth, diversify income and provide widespread employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for farmers in the rural areas.

The commissioner said that the intervention and investment opportunities were being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD)

The Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos, Prince Waheed Ishola, said that GEEP 2.0 second phase would begin soon.

Ishola said that In the second phase, he evisaged large turn out of applicants,

He said that the officers of NOA had been trained to register the applicants and would intensity sensitisation for people to be aware of such programmes that would help to alleviate poverty.

Ishola disclosed that some applicants for the GEEP 2.0 first phase were already receiving calls by fraudulent individuals to send their BVN.

He urged the applicants to be wary of such individuals, as NOA could only contact them (applicants) through text messages, and not asking for BVN. (NAN)

Anambra State governor-elect, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has said that in order to promote domestic brands, his official vehicles when he assumes office would be those manufactured by the Innoson Vehicle Motors (IVM).

Soludo who visited members of the inauguration committee stated this in his speech to the committee members.

The governor-elect also said it was not a coincidence that he had been wearing local fabrics known as Akwete, saying it was part of his intentional to support local brands and to make a statement with it.

He said: “My akwete dress is not just dress, it’s a statement. I want to make a statement with it. You know, in the entire south-east, this is the only textile thing alive, and it’s handmade, by the women of akwaete in Abia State.

“Igbo land is one and we must protect it. We want to bring back the zeal of patronising our own. I have said it even during campaigns, and I meant it, that if I win, the official car of the governor of Anambra State will be Innoson Vehicle.

“The dresses I will wear are those made here (south-east). We must protect the things that are made in our place. Something is about to happen in Igboland, and together we will get there.”

On his upcoming swearing-in, Soludo said there would be no ceremony to mark the event, stressing that no amount would be spent on it.

He said the day was simply to mark his first day at work, saying even though it is a weekend, he would spend eight hours of the day working.

“I have made a wish that not even one kobo of Anambra people’s money will be spent on that swearing-in ceremony. It is a wish, and I mean it. What are we spending money on? Just few people coming to the inauguration and witnessing it, then I will open office and get down to work immediately.

“I do not wish any event, dancers or players and all that. I just want to show up for work, like every first work day. Though it is going to be a Friday, which is weekend, but I’m going to work for over eight hours that day.

“No ceremony, no event, no party, nothing. Not even 10 kobo will be spent. So the people who are saying N20 million has been budgeted should go and tell us where they will get that money. It is going to be work, work, work, and that is what we epitomise.

In line with it’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Dana Air has donated sundry items to the Lagos old people’s home and a number of children’s orphanages across the city.

The airline’s Communications Manager, Kingsley Ezenwa, said that the donations are in line with the airline’s CSR initiative and philosophy of supporting communities and non-governmental organisations that share similar objectives.

Some of the items donated to the Lagos Old People’s Home, Favid Orphanage Home and V.O.W (Hope) Orphanage included bags of rice, spaghetti, clothes, noodles, toiletries, detergents and beverages.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Dana Air, Sukhjinder Mann, who led the airline’s team on the visit, said:  “The elderly ones in our midst are our parents and we owe them a duty to take good care of them and see to their happiness at all times. I wish everybody here today good health and happiness.
”At Dana Air we care about the health and well-being of our customers, with additional care and attention for our senior citizens. We will make this a regular initiative and will continue to support them in our own way as a customer and community focussed airline in Nigeria.”

On the donation to the orphanage homes, Sukh said it has always been the airline’s tradition to support orphanages , NGOs and the needy in the society.

”Our CSR initiative cuts across all communities and sectors, having pioneered sponsorships in sports, breast and prostate cancer awareness, entertainment, and youth empowerment, I think it won’t be out of place to call on the well-meaning citizens of Nigeria to continue to support these worthy causes,” he said.
Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines with a mixed fleet of nine aircraft and daily flights from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Owerri.

For its contribution to human rights and justice for women and girls in Nigeria, the National Human Rights Commission has awarded the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) the best Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in the country. The award was initiated to encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedom in Nigeria. It recognises the exceptional work of individuals, government institutions and CSOs contributing to the development and promotion of human rights.

The Executive Director, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, received the award on behalf of WARDC at an event held recently at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

Other runner-ups that were recognized for their efforts in promoting and protecting human rights are Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), Action Aid Nigeria, Global Rights Nigeria, and Project Alert on Violence Against Women.

WARDC was founded in 2000 by a group of young, dynamic feminist lawyers with a mission to rid the Nigerian society of all forms of discrimination against women and girls. Overtime, it has become a leading organisation in the country, contributing to women’s leadership, addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and promoting and connecting women’s voice and participation through advocacy, research, policy engagement, campaign, mobilisation, movement building and legal representation for adolescent girls and women.

Rooted within the women’s movement, the group has contributed immensely to the movement in Nigeria. It has contributed to the development of human rights, leading young feminist leadership in schools through the Purple Club established in 2013 with membership across Nigeria. Recently, it launched Red Card Club being led by young women across 33 tertiary institutions in the country.

WARDC has worked in collaboration with the Network of Women with Disability, sex workers, and persons with unique sexual orientations. It has provided legal aid and counselling for women and girls in the last decade, having responded to over 5000 indigent women across Nigeria and an average of 450 court cases across states.

No fewer than 100 orphans, including 20 blind and 5 deaf children had undergone free circumcision in Potiskum LGA of Yobe State.

The exercise was sponsored by the Chairman, Potiskum Traditional Barbers Association, (Sarkin Wanzamai) Aminu Abdullahi with support from the Emir of Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibn Abali Idrissa.

Speaking on the exercise, the chairman noted that it was the second time he sponsored free circumcision within the last two years.

He said in 2020, about 200 orphans were circumcised and provided with new clothing by the Emir of Fika.

Abdullahi said the exercise was aimed at supporting orphans and less privileged children whose parents or guardians may find it difficult to afford circumcision of their wards.

He commended Potiskum Traditional Barbers for according to him, the maximum cooperation when such activity is taking place.

He explained that the cost of circumcision per head is between N1500 to N2000 but decided to conduct it free for the sake of Allah.

He said the children are free to wear their trousers immediately.

In his remarks the National Chairman of the Nigerian Traditional Barbers Association and Chairman of Kano Emirate Traditional Barbers, Dr Muhammad Yunusa Nabango charged his subjects on professionalism and urged them to emulate the gesture.

The Emir of Fika and Chairman Yobe State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibn Abali Idrissa thereafter donated 5 yards of clothes and N500 for tailoring to each of the orphans.

The 30 traditional barbers who performed the exercise also got 5 yards of clothes each.

The former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has declared his intention to run for president in 2023.

Saraki, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, made this known via his official Facebook page.

He wrote: [quote]Earlier today, I replied to a follower of mine on Twitter who, like thousands of you, has been clamouring for a united front to #RescueNigeria.

“As we prepare for the journey ahead, I hope we can all join hands to get the ticket of our great party, PDP, and build a nation that works for all of us.

“Join me to make our communities safer and provide real opportunities for you and your families. I have a strong record of delivering and experience in making tough decisions.

Let’s build a new Nigeria that works for EVERYONE! #GrowNigeria”. His tweets end.

28-year-old visually-impaired Dahiru Idris was recently given automatic employment by the Kano State Government in recognition of his effort as a volunteer teacher. 

How did you lose your sight?

I did not lose my sight; I was born blind.

Is there any history of blindness from birth in your family?

Of my mother’s four children and my father’s 19 children, I am the only one who is blind.

How old are you?

I’m 28 years old.

Did your parents seek any medical intervention on seeing that you were blind at birth?

My parents tried their best when I was young; they took me to different hospitals in search of treatment but all was to no avail. One of the doctors, while trying to diagnose my ailment, told my parents that he was sorry because my visual impairment had no cure. He said my eye problem was natural and I would not be able to see.

What was the experience like for you growing up?

Well, I experienced numerous untold hardships during my childhood, particularly due to lack of finance, a development that affected my education. Also, there are a lot of businesses I would have loved to venture into but I could not due to lack of finance.

What is the occupation of your father?

My father is a petty businessman, who is engaged in buying and selling of raw meat, known as power in Kano and other northern states, for survival. He cooks and hawks the meat for sale. Growing up as a blind child was very traumatic for me, as I had no alternative to depending on my parents for the provision of basic necessities of life.

What schools did you attend?

I went to the government-owned Special Education boarding school for the blind, Tudun Mari Kano. I had my primary and secondary school education there for 11 years, from Primary One to SSS 3, free of charge.

There were a lot of special educational materials or equipment needed to be purchased but being poor, my parents could not afford them. Also, my parents could not afford to buy oil for me to add to my meal due to insufficient oil added to our food, like rice and beans, in school.

Some private people visited the school to distribute beds and bedding, as well as foodstuffs to us. We ate garrin kwake (garri) when food was not served on time.

What special skills were you taught in school?

I learnt so many skills at the special school, which has a hostel. I learnt how to read and write. I was also taught how to use the stylus, typewriter and computer installed with special software. As we cannot see, the computer pronounces words as we tap on the keyboards to guide us. It is the same conventional computers but installed with special application, known as NCDE, to guide the blind. As soon one taps on the keyboard, it pronounces words.

I also learnt the orientation of how to move from place to place without using a stick. For example, if I stay within an environment for some time, I will learn how to navigate within the environment without using a stick. These are the experiences that I have garnered. Without my education in the special school, I would have been roaming the streets, begging for alms.

On finishing from Kano Special School for the Blind, what did you do next?

I proceeded to the university and I am currently in 200 Level. I am studying Political Science at the National Open University of Nigeria. It is a four-year course.

Why did you choose to study Political Science?

It is my area of interest.

What makes it interesting to you; do you plan to go into politics?

I don’t want to become a partisan politician; I would rather want to work with a non-governmental organisation or go into international relations and diplomacy, where I will be at liberty to analyse political issues as they are, using my knowledge as a political scientist.  Political Science is very dynamic and broad-based. I hope to engage in analysing political issues on radio and television.

I hope to be financially independent because if you depend on people, they will sooner than later disappoint you. I believe it is better to struggle on your own than to depend on people. If you struggle on your own, God will reward your efforts with success.

The Kano State Government recently offered you automatic employment as a teacher, in recognition of your work as a volunteer teacher. Since your main interest is political science, what motivated you to work as a volunteer teacher?

I have been teaching voluntarily in many schools at different times for more than six years before Governor (Abdullahi) Ganduje offered me this opportunity of automatic employment, as a blind teacher. I teach subjects related to Political Science, as well as English language. This was what informed my decision to study Political Science. Many people think that a blind man cannot be beneficial to society. So, rather than begging, I decided to engage in teaching, so as to prove people wrong.

How do you hope to combine the job with your study in Political Science at NOUN?

You are aware that the National Open University of Nigeria is a distant learning institution. In view of this, I make a schedule or timetable, so as not to have any problem with my work and study. I rigidly comply with my schedule, so as not to allow my programmes to clash with the other activities.

How do you feel about the recognition given you by the government?

I felt very happy when the state government offered me automatic teaching employment and my happiness cannot be quantified. I am also currently comfortable in the sense that I am self-reliant. My endless gratitude goes to the Governor of Kano State and the Commissioner for Education for providing me with a source of livelihood, rather than for me to be roaming the streets of Kano from sunup to sundown in search of daily bread.

Do you have any plan for marriage?

Yes, I do have a fiancée.  I plan to marry her after my university education.

Is your fiancée also visually-impaired?

No, she is normal and we plan to tie the nuptial knot this year. I studied at Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies and all my course mates and friends were born normal.

How did you meet your fiancée?

My fiancée is my student, who I met in school and she is ready to spend the rest of her life with me despite the fact that I am visually-impaired. She really takes good care of me and I enjoy staying with her.

Although, she is a student for now, she has something to offer to earn a living. In brief, she is a professional tailor. She has so many clients, who often patronise her.

Have you made marriage proposal to her?

Yes, I made a proposal of marriage to her. She really appreciates that we are going to be a couple and live in peace and harmony.

What attracted you to her?

Her extraordinary kindness attracted me to her; she is exceptionally kind to me. Also, she is very simple in terms of her attitude and temperament. Moreover, she is educated and she possesses good qualities one can find in a woman.

What was her parents’ reaction to her decision to get married to you?

Her parents accepted and supported our relationship without any bias. They encouraged our relationship when they discovered their daughter sincerely loves me and voluntarily accepted to be my life partner. To this extent, they supported and welcomed my proposal to marry their daughter.

Have you faced any form of discrimination and how did you handle it?

You know that people differ in terms of behaviour; so, some accept me, while some may not. I have been facing discrimination, especially from illiterate people, just because I am a blind man. To overcome this daunting challenge, I have to be patient enough and keep on demonstrating good qualities in the course of my relationship with people wherever I find myself. By so doing, people with disability will be highly respected and recognised everywhere we are, and this discrimination might be reduced to a minimum level.

What kind of provision do you think government should make for physically-challenged persons in Nigeria?

My call to the federal and state governments is to assist visually-impaired citizens, who have made efforts to improve themselves, to secure employment opportunities, so as to prevent them from roaming the streets in search of alms to keep body and soul together. This is the only way to encourage and prevent them from becoming street beggars, which is an embarrassment to both society and the government.

The declarations to run for president by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are not comprehensive enough. This is on the basis that both declarations did not mention or state categorically what they plan to do for persons with disabilities (PWD) and vulnerable persons in Nigeria.

It is sad that in a country like Nigeria with about 30 million PWDs as estimated by the world Health Organization, presidential aspirants do not care a hoot about this huge numbers that can win an election any day. And by the time you add family members, friends and relatives of these PWDs, it is clear and evident that persons with disabilities have the power to control the outcome of an election.

Be that as it may, persons with disabilities participating in politics have made it clear, far before now, that only those who support the cause of persons with disabilities will be supported and therefore, the declarations by the two APC leaders are dead on arrival.

In the past six years of APC leadership, Nigeria has witnessed a huge increase in the numbers of persons with disabilities as a result of motor accidents from bad roads, mental disability from bad economic policies leading to high rate of suicides and ritual murders, injuries from insurgency by women, children and soldiers; economic deprivation of Nigerians by the weaponization of poverty and a whole lot of other things.

Anybody running for president henceforth in Nigeria must have a clear-cut plan of how to cater for PWD and the vulnerable in our society. It is a shame to note that in the 120-page document released by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that not one single word on disability was mentioned.

Discrimination against persons with disabilities (prohibition) Act signed by President Muhammadu Buhari three years ago is still lying in the shelf gathering dust. There is no impact whatsoever. If the content of that act is not visibly articulated in a 120-page document by the vice-president and the leader of the APC both preparing to run for president in their declarations, it speaks volumes and should tell Nigerians and persons with disabilities not to expect anything from them. Any action now is an afterthought.

Persons with disabilities cannot be sidelined anymore. We are saying enough is enough and are mobilising to use this 2023 general elections and the two elections before them to show that the days of neglecting persons with disabilities are over.

Dr. Chike Okogwu,

ADC Dep. Nat. Chairman, Strategy, Innovative and Disabilities_