By Adeyanju Eniola Oluwatoyin
The redesigning of the naira notes caused many problems for citizens, most especially students. The new notes are scarce. Thus, the painful recourse to cashless policy in the country.
Before the Presidential Election when students wanted to go home for vacation, it was tough. Many risked their lives.Though, some drivers were kind enough to accept money transfer while some did not.
As a student, I found it difficult to attend classes. I could not attend my matriculation ceremony,I had to stay in my hostel. I could not get other things at the market because the market women would not accept money transfer. Feeding was also very difficult.
Quite unfortunately, some students at Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ogun State, had to board a truck to travel to Lagos. It seemed they did not care about their safety – all they wanted was to get home before the election.What if the truck had an accident on their way to Lagos? Who are we to blame for it? Obviously, the citizens would blame the government.
Citizens were hard hit, they starved despite having money in their accounts. Tension rose. Banks were vandalised.
An Access Bank building at Taiwo Street in Ilorin also got vandalised. Some bank officers had to use ladder to escape through the back fence. The PoS agents also increased their charges to withdraw money because most of them had to go to the bank and queue before getting the new notes.
A worker, Mr. Ojo Johnson Ademola, slumped and died on a queue on February 21, 2023 at Lagos State University Wema Bank. It was really terrible.
Now that the Supreme Court has ordered that the old N200, N500 N1000 notes should remain in circulation till December 31, 2023, it is hoped that the Federal Government would comply with the directive this time round and ease the pains of innocent citizens.
• Adeyanju wrote in from Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Kwara State