kunle Adelabu
Lagosians have been reacting to the address delivered today by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on the eruption of violence in some parts of the state due to scarcity of naira notes which has brought hardship on the large number of the populace.
Sanwo – Olu, in his address, appealed to POS operators and petrol attendants to stopped taking advantage of people in this hard time.
The Governor, who warned those fomenting violence of dire consequences also revealed that his government has commenced palliative measures of reducing fares and distributing food items to cushion the effects of the challenges on Lagosians.
Meanwhile, residents have said that the governor failed to use the opportunity to once again charged operators of the BRT buses to collect the old naira notes from Lagosians.
Those that reviewed the Governor’s address on THE IMPACT platform, also said that private Ferry operators are also rejecting the old naira notes and mobile transfer of funds.
They called on the governor to address the matter as part of efforts to cushion the effects of the scarcity of the new naira notes on residents.
The scarcity has caused many problems between residents who have been offering old notes and traders, transporters, and others.
Mr Bayode Treasures Olawunmi, the Guinness Book of World Record holder in individual and group Read Aloud Marathon Attempt, raising the issue on THE IMPACT, said:
“Mr. Governor was silent on the use of the new notes to pay for the public transport system in Lagos. People are finding it hard to get BRT and ferry tickets because they don’t have access to the new notes the operators are demanding, this is where I expect the LASG to really address, this is where we need the government”, he said.
“Someone needs to bring this to the attention of Mr Governor. This is where we need his empathy”, he added.
The number one youth leader in the state, Comrade Lekan Biliamin Oba, also contributing, said:
” You are correct. I used the Ferry to Ikoyi this morning, and the operators were not even collecting Transfer”, he said.
“I think something drastic needs to be done before Monday, which is usually rush hours”.
Another resident, Lady of Substance, in her contribution, said:
“The private boats are not collecting old notes, but you can do transfer”.
There has been series of complaints against the rejection of the old naira notes by the BRT operators despite the governor’s directive.
Atoyebi Akinpelu, also contributing, asked Mr Governor to focus more on the way people are rejecting the old naira notes.
“Governor should address the ways and manners people are rejecting old currencies in Lagos the way his peers did in the northern part of the country and leave POS operators alone. POS operators are also buying monies at exorbitant amounts, “he said.
“POS Operators are also victims of this anti masses policy. It is not fair to blame POS operators. How much POS operators were charging before Naira redesign and Naira scarcity?”, he asked.
“Governor Sanwoolu should act like a hero”.
In his own contribution, Elder Omoniyi, said:
“The situation is beyond dishing our RIOT ACT. He should create other windows for people to access and spend whatever that’s agreed to be LEGAL TENDER. Enough of diversionary TACTICS”.
