Heal Disability Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure that People with Disabilities (PWDs) have easy access to the redesigned Naira notes.
The organisation also called for inclusion of persons with special needs in the cashless policy introduced by the apex bank.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Mainas Ayuba made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Friday.
He said that PWDs were exposed to difficulties in accessing redesigned Naira as they could not withstand the pressure of long queues at Automated Teller Machines (ATM) and banking halls.
“People with special needs deserve special considerations on the new Naira notes.
“Some are hearing impaired, visually impaired and those with spinal cord injuries, they could not withstand the rigours of the queues to access new Naira notes,” he said.
He said that some of the PWDs, who managed to joined the queues could not cash their monies as the ATM machines were not dispensing due to lack of money or poor network.
Ayuba alledged that the situation also applied to the Point of Sale (POS) operators in Bauchi metropolis, as most of them closed down due to scarcity of old and new naira notes.
He, therefore, called for review of the policy to take care of the needs of the PWDs.
Reacting, Elizabeth Kwaghe, Deputy Director, Currency Operations in the CBN, said the apex bank was monitoring commercial banks to ensure adequate circulation of the new Naira notes in the state.
