News

UK Denies 74-year-old Mam Permanent Residency After 42 Years Stay

Published

2 years ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A Ghanaian has instituted a legal case against the United Kingdom Home Office after he was denied permanent residency despite living in the country for 42 years.

The Ghanaian identified as Nelson Shardey is a retired 74-year-old man who arrived in the UK in 1977.

But after living in the UK for almost 50 years, Shardey was informed to wait another 10 years before the Home Office could grant him permanent residency, the BBC reports.

Shardey had for many years assumed he was officially British after he first arrived in the UK in 1977 to study accountancy on a student visa that also allowed him to work.

He only discovered otherwise in 2019 and, despite paying taxes all his adult life, now faces paying thousands of pounds to stay and use the NHS, the report added.

According to him, I have never left the UK as I saw no need to and regarded it as my home.

“Nobody questioned me. I bought all my things on credit, even the house.

“I got a mortgage. And nobody questioned me about anything,” Shardy, a retired newsagent told the BBC.

Explaining further, he said he took on a series of jobs, making Mother’s Pride bread and Kipling’s Cakes near Southampton, and Bendick’s Chocolate in Winchester after a coup in his native Ghana which affected his family’s inability to send him money for the fees.

He added that no one ever queried his right to live or work in the UK.

But in a twist of fate in 2019 when he applied for a passport so he could go back to Ghana following the death of his mother, Shardy said he was told he was not British.

The Home Office said he had no right to be in the UK.

Over the 10 years, it costs about £7,000, with a further £10,500 over the same period to access the NHS.

“I cannot afford to pay any part of the money they are asking. Telling me to go through that route is a punishment, and it’s not fair in any way,” said Mr Shardey, who is recovering from prostate cancer.

“I don’t understand why this fuss at all, because I put my life, my whole self into this country,” he added.

When he tried to extend his right to stay in the UK online two years ago, he filled out the wrong form.

That meant the 10-year process had to begin again in 2023.

As a result, Mr Shardey will not be allowed to stay in the UK permanently until he is 84.

A lawyer at Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, Nicola Burgess, is now taking the Home Office to court on Shardey’s behalf.

The Home Office declined to comment on the case, the report added.

Shardey has performed jury service, and in 2007 was given a police award for bravery after tackling a robber who was attacking a delivery man with a baseball bat.

The retiree has two sons – Jacob and Aaron – with a British woman after his first marriage, also with a Briton, ended.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

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.

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

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

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.

“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

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

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.

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).

“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.