Students in tertiary institutions across the country are in dire straits as the naira scarcity bites harder. The National Universities Commission’s (NUC) directive for universities to shut down for three weeks for the general election has not helped either, as many of them are stranded and unable to feed. PRECIOUS AKINTULUBO (OOU) reports.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) ordered the closure of universities across the country to enable students participate in the general elections.
In a letter addressed to vice chancellors of universities and directors of inter-university centres, the decision was based on the directive of Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu He directed that the universities be closed and academic activities suspended between February 22 and March 14.
The NUC explained that the directive stemmed from concerns on security of staff, students and properties of tertiary institutions.
“As vice chancellors of all universities and Director/Chief Executive of inter-university centres are quite aware the 2023 general elections have been scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 25, 2023, for the Presidential and National Assembly, and Saturday, March 11, 2023, for Gubernatorial and State Assembly.
“In view of the foregoing and concerns expressed on the security of staff, students and properties of our respective institutions, the Honourable Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu has, following extensive consultations with the relevant security agencies, directed that all universities and inter-university centres be shut down and academic activities be suspended between February 22 and March 14, 2023.
“Consequently, vice chancellors and chief executives of inter-university centres, are by this circular requested to shut down their respective Institutions from Wednesday, 22nd February 2023 to Tuesday, March 14, 2023,” the circular reads.
With the directive, students had no choice but to start packing their belongings and head home.
Amid these, the new naira notes remain scarce, while the old notes are being rejected. Some banks that dispense the new notes via the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) tend to dispense amount within the range of N2,000 to N5,000.
Adding to the pain and misery of citizens is the Point of Sales (PoS) agents who charge higher for new notes. Some charge more than N200 per N1000.
Fortunately, CBN took measures on this by releasing emergency telephone numbers to the public to report erring PoS agents selling new naira notes and those charging exorbitantly for withdrawal.
All these are affecting students. They are faced with challenges of withdrawal which has direct effect on transportation and purchase of goods and services.
The hardship in accessing the new notes and old N200 directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to coexist (till April 10) with the redesigned N200, N500 and N1000, remains unabating.
Unfortunately, many students are stranded as they attempt to go home.Unrepentant PoS operators continue with high charges as students are unable to get cash.
Omolade Gbemisola, a 400-Level student of Political Science at Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, complained that she couldn’t travel due to rejection of old notes and unavailability of the new naira notes. She said: “I intend to return home for election and eat some good food because it’s been hard here, I’m unable to travel. Here, we have to book withdrawal in advance.
“Due to the rejection of the old naira notes, day-to-day business transactions have been so difficult. These include getting food stuff and transportation. Most okada (commercial motor cycle) riders don’t have bank account while those that have are bent on receiving alert before they render their services.”
Gbemisola urged the Federal Government to allow the old notes to remain legal tender till there is circulation of the new notes in the country.
“As much as this policy might end up reshaping our economy, the government should have envisaged these problems emanating from it. I’ll advise that they also allow the commercial banks to help in collecting the old notes,” she added.
Another student who had to go to the bank early in the morning to get cash to travel home, Gbolahan Salaudeen, a student of Mass Communication at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, said he came home late from the bank with N4000.
“Getting new note is a pre-condition for travelling. My friends who have travelled home said some drivers at the park who received transfer requested for charges.
“I can’t make any online transaction with the market women who have no bank account over sales of pepper, fish and more. Therefore, I have to pay by cash. Meanwhile, there’s no cash except at some PoS stations who charge outrageous amounts. Even boarding buses to school is challenging. This has been unbearable.
“The policy is a good development yet the execution is flawed as it has affected the masses greatly. The government should reconsider their approach. They should ensure that both old and new naira notes coexist such that banks will only dispense new note and whenever people want to deposit, it will always be the old note,” he said.
Peace Oladipo, a 400-Level student of Mass Communication at Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, said she was unable to transport herself to school, let alone home.
“A few days ago, I couldn’t eat for a day because all I had on me was the old note. I cannot even travel because I don’t have the new notes. Unfortunately, the PoS charges are outrageous,” she said.
She advised the Federal Government to consider those below average before making policies that will affect their lifestyle.
A 300-Level student of Law at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Wonderful Adetula, said she had been facing a lot of troubles on the rejection of old notes.
She said: “Last Friday, I had to transfer N200 to buy snacks. I even added charges. The government should remember that there are some people at the grassroots who are helpless.”
Aleem Basit Ishola, 100-Level student of Medical Laboratory Technology at Global Wealth University, got stranded for two days because he couldn’t access the new notes.
“I visited the bank but there was no cash. I wanted to buy food, but I couldn’t. In fact, transfer wasn’t going as well. Getting back home was very stressful because the drivers were rejecting the old notes and weren’t collecting transfer as well. It was a big threat to existence.
“I feel this policy of eradicating the old notes was a good idea but the strategies behind the distribution and availability of the new notes is very poor. I know this is definitely going to be a good success to the coming election as there won’t be vote buying,” she said.
He advised the CBN to print more of the new notes and let them circulate because the masses are suffering.
Mamukuyomi Oluwaferanmi Florence, a student of Mass Communication at Igbajo Polytechnic, Osun State, who wants to return home to be at a safer mode during this election, said she was unable to travel as a result of the rejection of the old note.
“I just want the Federal Government to find better solution to this old note crisis because it is really affecting students,” she said.
Idowu Oluwaseyi Temitope, HND 2 student of Mass Communication at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Ogun State, also complained that she was stranded at her school due to new naira scarcity and rejection of old notes.
She said: “Three weeks ago, I left my house around 5am to get cash at the bank. On getting there, I met 75 people already, I collected number 76. The ATM machine started dispensing. When it was almost my turn, there was no money to dispense again. I was so angry. I am starving.
“I will advise CBN to not stop us from spending the old note till the new naira notes circulate. This will at least solve the problem. They should stop the habit of creating problem for the masses with their decisions.”
Awojobi Oluwatimilehin, a 300-Level student of Mass Communication at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, said the rejection of old note caused difficulties for her as she almost got stranded at car park while intending to travel home.
Her words: “When I got to the park, the drivers requested to be paid in cash instead of transfer. It wasn’t easy getting cash, but somehow I found a way out by begging the driver to allow me transfer the money for his fuel at a filling station, while he used that as my fare.
“The Federal Government should make the new notes available in great number since that’s what they want us to adopt. If they can’t make it available, why change it in the first place?”
A 200-Level Law student at Usmanu Danfodiyyo University, Sokoto State, Mohammed Taoheed got stranded on his way home.
“I suffered before I saw a bus to convey me, although I’ve the money but the drivers don’t want transfer at all. I had to use N500 to buy N1000 at four different times and did the other balance as transfer to our student union who helped me with a bus. There is a point that I became so thirsty when we got to Mokwa, I had to beg a passenger for a common satchet water. I can’t imagine I did this out of tiredness. Home-coming was close to hell.
“I’ll implore the government to consider the fate of the people living in the rural areas who do not have banks. A policy shouldn’t be quickly tested like this,” he said.
Ajao Ifeoluwa, 400-Level student of Animal Production at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Ilorin, Kwara State, said students living off the campus have had to contend with the plague of cash scarcity daily which is caused by the distance between the school entrance and the park.
He said: “Whenever I got stranded, my cab driver has always been my saviour. Meanwhile, there are days when he won’t be available, so I’ll have to find a way to transport myself. At times, I’ll order a Bolt ride.”
“From the perspective of the Federal Government, it is incredibly impressive to find a long-lasting solution to stop vote-buying which has been a common practice in democratic systems yet, I will suggest they look for better ways of cushioning the effect of this step on citizens.”
“If care is not taken, there might be more protests that will be in full force, greater than ENDSARS protest.
Bamigbola Folashade Deborah, a Mass Communication student at Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, said: “I am planning to return home because of this scarcity of cash and to vote. But, I am facing a lot of problems about this old note. There is no where to collect cash, even banks here are not dispensing and POS agents are wicked. To collect N1,000, they charge N300.When you buy something or do transfer, they will still collect charges on it. I am even tired of everything, I need to go home, but the old note is hindering me.
“The Federal Government should please make this money (new note) circulate because of the masses and students.”