News
Persons With Disabilities In Bayelsa Lament Neglect, Discrimination
The Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area chapter, Bayelsa State, has bemoaned their under-representation and neglect by leaders of the area and government at all levels.
They stated this when a delegation of JONAPWD in the area, led by its president, Salvation Enoch, visited Alagoa Morris, Head of the Environmental Rights Action Niger Delta Resource Centre in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Monday.
Enoch lamented that they had been denied access to their representatives in government, particularly in the executive and legislative arms where they had hoped to be given an audience to express themselves and state their challenges.
He said, “If you look at the Southern Ijaw area, we are the most vulnerable people and we have not gotten the opportunity to speak on issues affecting us as persons with disabilities, especially the neglect that we have been facing.
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“Our leaders, from the local government to the state and federal levels; we are less represented in government and we don’t have free access to our representatives for them to understand that we are also existing as persons with disabilities and that our challenges are supposed to be looked into. It has been very challenging in our effort to have an audience with them.”
He said they had written several letters to various leaders and representatives but discovered that their letters were not usually delivered to them.
While shedding light on the problems of JONAPWD members, Enoch said, “Many of us are less educated. We need JAMB forms and scholarships. We need walking and hearing aids, and magnifying glasses. We need skills acquisition.
“We also need empowerment, some of us have talents and are also good at bead-making, singing, and others. We need training programmes. We need employment chances. On World Disability Day, we are supposed to celebrate it but nothing happens. We need disability home/office in Southern Ijaw.”
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He also stated that they were suffering a great deal of discrimination and police brutality, and appealed to the ERA Niger Delta Resource Centre to “assist us to push our issues.”
Responding, Alagoa Morris, a foremost environmental and community rights activist, called on the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri and relevant government authorities to pay special attention to the physically challenged persons.
He urged the governor to extend his administration’s welfare scheme for the elderly to persons with disabilities as well so that they could also receive monthly stipends and have a sense of belonging in the state.
News
Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru
Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.
Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.
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La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.
The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.
The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.
He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.
News
Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses
The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.
DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.
A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.
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“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.
“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.
“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.
News
N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.
Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.
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Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.
“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.
“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.
This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”
“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
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“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”
Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.
Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.
Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.
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