₦airaland Forum

Operators of mobile processing cash terminals also referred to as Point of Sale (POS) operators are not in good mood in Benin City due to a present shortage in cash flow in society.

Unlike few days back when they made brisk profits, collecting between two to three hundred naira as charges from frantic customers on every one thousand naira note dispensed since customers were desirous to beat the naira swap deadline, they now stare into empty space.

POS operators are presently hit by the non availability of naira notes. Those approached claimed not to be in possession of even the old notes which are still recognized legal tenders for use in Nigeria, at least, till February 10, 2023. Many were seen sleeping at duty posts or engaging in other activities due to the non availability of both the old and new naira notes with which to transact business.

Though charges now go for as low as one hundred naira for every one thousand naira swapped due to the naira swap extension deadline, residents of Benin are now a little strapped for cash.

A source who went round ten POS terminal points in the Etete axis of Benin recounts his ordeal - "I went to my regular POS vendor yesterday evening but met him sleeping. He said he had no money to dispense. Worse still, he revealed that business was so bad for the day that his trekking home was sure since he had no cash at hand for transportation. He only needed two hundred naira as transport fare home. He was optimistic of an inflow of cash from the bank for the next day.

"I repeated the visit today. Result was same as yesterday. He still doesn't have. So, I decided to patronise someone else. I went round ten POS stands in the vicinity. It was a fruitless journey. They neither had old or new currencies to give out."

A woman who identified herself as Jennifer while frowning at long queues at banks automated teller machines (ATM's) in the city said, "If you see ATM queue, you go respect Satan. I hold the small money wey dey my hands"

Another respondent, a civil servant who narrated his ordeal while querying the timeliness of the switch to a cashless system said he went to bank to make some withdrawal from his salary at the Ikpoba Hill axis at the close of day but got informed there was no cash at hand. After much plea, a female bank teller, on humanitarian ground, dispensed five hundred naira to him in ten naira denomination for use as transport fare home.

A young guy jocularly responding to my query on the emanating scarcity of funds stated, " Very soon, even if we want to buy Tomtom (sweet) we might have to make a transfer for that."

Though the Nigerian Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele made it clear when he appeared before the Senate that old currencies would still be accepted by banks beyond the ten day swap deadline with assurances of availability of new currencies, his threats and promise of stiff penalties to defaulting commercial banks who break the flow chain of cash redistribution is yet to yield results as masses mill out daily in search of the naira notes.


http://stardustonline22..com/2023/02/naira-scarcity-hit-pos-stands-long.html

Tokskob2008:
You are right but it might not make FP for at least some days to come. If it were to be "see the catfish I bought for #50 and how I ate it" with just two or three post you will see it on the FP....

Hahaha, very funny.

Hmm. Quite an encounter.
God no go true-true shame us... But, you need to take a break from the stuff that got you there.

Congratulation. Continue to soar to great heights in life. Mighty proud of the twins. The future is indeed female. o

Hunger is real.

Give it time, you will be fine.

Unlike previous years where there is serious street activity in the build up towards the crossover into the new year/yuletide season, my area is serene, calm. People are off the street. Even the voices of the early morning salvation criers disappeared before Christmas.

Is it due to the change in weather (Harmattan/cold) or due to hunger, based on present economic reality? Abeg, what is the outlook of things in your own area?

Unlike previous years where there is serious street activity in the build up towards the crossover into the new year/yuletide season, my area is serene, calm. People are off the street. Even the voices of the early morning salvation criers disappeared before Christmas.

Is it due to the change in weather (Harmattan/cold) or due to hunger, based on present economic reality? Abeg, what is the outlook of things in your own area?

The Chief Medical Director, (CMD), University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Darlington Obaseki, yesterday, in conformity with his annual tradition of spreading cheer to patients, for the love of Jesus Christ, led his team and a choir of energetic nursing students round wards, just as he and team members interfaced and distributed gifts to patients.

Patients confined to their sick beds in the hospital, propped themselves up at the sight of the entourage which comprised of a choir whose attire was replete with lanterns and shepherd sticks even as patients received gift tokens from the CMD as he spread out the Christmas cheer to them.

An overwhelmed mother, Mrs. Bridget Christian, with tears streaming down her eyes during the stopover at the Professor Jackson Omene Neonatal Ward, during an interview with stardustonline concerning her state of mind with the ongoing celebration, replied, "I feel good about this Christmas Carol but my baby is sick. I look at the occasion with tears in my eyes. I am supposed to be celebrating like others, but, with the pains I am passing through, I don't feel excited too much."

Earlier, while addressing his team and mandating the UBTH choir to be good cheerleaders that spread healing along their trail based on vivacity and candour at the foyer of the Gregory I. Akenzua Marble Hall, CMD, Obaseki mentioned the number of inpatients. Against the backdrop that it is the yuletide season, he acknowledged the nostalgia of patients and their need to be home for Christmas.

He urged the choir to raise their voices as to affect the patients with positive vibes, strong enough to make them stand back on their feet with the innate resolve to be fit, and strong enough to go reunite with family.

In celebration of members of staff for their dedication to duty, there was an "Award night" at the Tiamiyu Bello-Osagie Square. Awards were presented to Best Staff of the Month, from January to December for year 2022. These were also awards for, Best staff of the year; Best committee; Unit of the year and Department of the year. In all, the Nursing Services got good commendation, for this year in review.
http://stardustonline22..com/2022/12/spreading-cheer-for-love-of-christ-at.html

By Bernadette Idalu
Participants at the Amplify In-depth Media Conference of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), Lagos, were puzzled today as the Ghanian undercover investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, through his "TIGER EYE-" documentary production outfit, showed them short clips of his investigative documentaries even as he noted that the perception of an investigative journalist concerning the outcome of his reportage could be much bigger or smaller or at complete variance with the needs of target audience, whom he prosecuted the report to liberate.

Speaking on backlash, the hues and cries of those who benefit from a system of vice and crime despite inherent danger such negative acts pose to societal health or good, he encouraged those interested in this aspect of journalism to possess enough guts with a dose of courage, confidence and resilience to pursue their dream as their passion will sail them through the bad days.

He revealed that due to the risky nature of the job and the constant threat to life, he has to constantly hood his face to cover his real identity as he goes about doing his job around the world.

Pointing to his Nigerian experienced with the exposure and arrest of a fake medical doctor, he stated that the community instead of being happy to be rid of a fake doctor, lamented that the only cheap clinic in their community was closed down.

Fielding a direct one on one question from the Nigerian Observer Newspaper on the way forward, against the backdrop of censored media reports and methods for keying into the funding process for those interested at carrying out investigative reports, Anas stated, "Investigative journalism is not a tea party. It is difficult. It is a hot kitchen. If you don't have the energy you get out.

"Nobody should think that being an investigative journalist and dealing with strong issues in society will leave you free. There will be attacks, there will be legal and physical fights, but, if you keep your focus on, and decide, that people matter, then, despite all these things, you have to stand firm and tell your story as it should be told.

"In society the problem we have is an extreme disease but if you want to belong to the remedy, you have to be extreme to provide a remedy for what we have. Remedies are meant to cure extreme disease. Societal thinking matters in investigative journalism. It is opposite thinking.They blame and judge the journalist that fights for justice "

He stated that investigative journalists are mostly self driven, they get their scoop and mostly seek means to actualize their reports, but, their findings shake society and point the way forward.

Even as the Coordinator of WSCIJ Motunrayo Alaka, welcomed participants earlier to the event, the centre, as part of the 16days of activism against "Gender Based Violence" showed a documentary which frowned at "Female Genital Mutilation" which highlighted stereotypes, myths, inhibitions, misconceptions and emanating health issues which were labeled to be a gross violation of human rights.
http://stardustonline22..com/2022/12/wscij-conference-highlights-danger.html

[Thanks
quote author=Akposkiz post=118856408]Thanks for the info.[/quote]

Stakeholders Mark World AIDS Day, Counsel, run tests, in Benin
By Bernadette Idalu
The Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN) in commemoration of, "World AIDS Day" yesterday, December 1, 2022, held a rally/health walk which kicked off from the State Secretariat Complex, Block D Parking Lot, Benin City, through designated route, in partnership with critical stakeholders to sensitize and educate on HIV/AIDS even as collaborators frowned at stigma and associated misconceptions.

The day which had the theme, "Equalize (To end AIDS)" witnessed stakeholders and partners giving health talks to commuters and pedestrians along designated route, gifting such persons with latex barrier contraceptives and lubricants, encouraging them to use to cut down on sexually transmitted infection and unwanted babies.

Also, effort was made to encourage people to come forth for voluntary screening/testing to ascertain their HIV status and need to start off with the anti-retroviral treatment, if positive, since HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence due to the advent of quality drugs aided by government policy of provision of free treatment at designated government treatment facilities.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Edo State - State Agency for the Control of AIDS (Edo SACA), Mr. Oguta Amidu, who put the prevalence rate of the disease at 1.9% at state level, encouraged people to make use of HIV mobile testing services while maintaining that the day was marked to Increase/raise awareness on HIV/AIDS and its prevention strategies.

He stated that the theme for the event was based on a global call to ensure everyone had access to preventive services irrespective of sexual orientation, race or creed. This preventive measures he noted encouraged partners with HIV to continue with medication till the virus becomes undetectable; making use of preexposure prophylaxis (PREP) by serodiscondant couples wherein the negative partner takes the drugs for a month prior to the fusion with the positive partner to prevent infection and transmission of the HIV virus to expected child.

To bridge the issue of stigma, he said effort was already put in place in collaboration with community pharmacies in the 36 states of Nigeria to push out oral self test kits at the cost prize of one thousand Naira to boost voluntary self screening, early detection and need for treatment.

The World AIDS Day, he said, was a reminder to the populace to adhere to the prevention strategy of abstinence from sex if not married, being faithful to partner if married and making use of condoms if one cannot remain faithful to partner.

He observed, "Since the advent of COVID 19, people have forgotten that HIV/AIDS has no cure hence the need to raise consciousness for them to endeavour to use prevention strategies."

State Coordinator, CiSHAN, Mr. Saliu Aidorolo while stating efforts to track and educate vulnerable groups noted that HIV screening, "Puts your mind at rest; you get linked to services if positive, and placed on drugs which are effective."

A stakeholder, Dr. Bright Oniovokukor said "Some gains have been made in the fight against AIDS leading to the pullback of numerous cases of AIDS to HIV even up to the point of having U=U (Undetectable Equals Untransmittable), a major break through."

Nonetheless, he called for sustained resource mobilization to stem new infections which are driven by low awareness creation.

Incidentally, the Edo State chapter of the Network of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) despite observing the day, however, advocated on an independent basis, for government's intervention at making the treatment process more accessible and comfortable to members in the three geopolitical zones of the state.

Synergy for the event was built between SACA, Edo State Ministry of Health, Heartland Alliance, CiSHAN, NEPWHAN and other stakeholders.

http://stardustonline22..com/2022/12/stakeholders-mark-world-aids-day.html