By Frank Ulom
An entire family has been said to have died from alleged starvation caused by the new naira policy which is already crumbling the economy of the nation. This, CONVERSEER gathered happened last week in Mbube, Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Community sources said the yet-to-be-identified family lost their lives as the breadwinner was trying to gain access to his money deposited in one of the new generational banks.
A source who spoke with CONVERSEER said people are suffering in Ogoja as banks have decided to sell the new naira notes to the highest bidder.
The source who gave her name as Ikorishor said even before the February 10 deadline by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, customers were finding it difficult to withdraw their cash from the banking hall, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and Point Of Service/Sale (POS).
“We have been suffering here at Ogoja and it is getting worst daily. Before now, the banks were only paying us N5 and N10 naira notes but as of last week, nothing at all – we are even begging them to pay us the N5 or N10 but they are saying there is no money. The newly redesigned naira notes we barely come across. People now sleep at the ATM terminal hoping the bank will load the machines but nothing at the end.
“The POS which is the last hope of the common man is now only meant for the rich, as agents charge N1,500 for N5,000 and N30,000 for N100,000 – to come across a POS agent with money is like climbing mount Everest.
“Last week, an entire family died of starvation in Mbube. They said the man has tried all means to withdraw his money from across money points but could not. Himself, wife and children were found dead in their house and those that saw him going about trying to withdraw money and begging for something to feed his family alleged it was starvation that killed him. If not that I just harvested my yams from the farm, the same fate could have followed me and my family – we have been eating only white yams these days because we cannot withdraw money to buy foodstuffs from the market”, Ikorishor said.
The source also alleged that the bank managers of two new generational banks in Ogoja were arrested for hoarding the new naira notes.
READ ALSO: N-Power to commence payment of Oct, Nov and Dec 2022 Batch C2 stipend this week
“Last week, I went to the Bank [bank name withheld] at Igoli-Ogoja to withdraw money and no one attended to us. While waiting for hope from the sky, some security personnel walked in and were dragging one of the bank staff – those that know him said he is the manager. I also heard the same thing happened in another Bank [name withheld] where the manager was also arrested.
“People are suffering. We are suffering and if something is not done on time, a lot of people will lose their lives to starvation”, Ikorishor fumed.
When CONVERSEER visited some of the POS posts at Calabar Municipality and Calabar South last week Saturday, most of them were closed, while others were short of cash. Also, ATM points were empty with a few having a huge crowd queuing and hoping for banks to load money.
Recall that the CBN Governor has said there is no going back on the decision taken against the old N500 and N1,000 notes with President Muhammadu Buhari extending the use of the N200 note till April 10.
Meanwhile, in a tweet on Sunday, President Buhari appealed to Nigerians to have patience as measures are being taken to ease the hardship.
“I am fully aware of the current hardship being faced as a result of some policies meant to bring overall improvement to the country. I’m appealing to you to exercise further patience as we take measures to ease these hardships. God willing, there is light at the end of the tunnel”, Buhari stated in a tweet on Sunday.
I am fully aware of the current hardship being faced as a result of some policies meant to bring overall improvement to the country. I'm appealing to you to exercise further patience as we take measures to ease these hardships. God willing,there is light at the end of the tunnel.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) February 19, 2023
Also, Nigerians are poised as to how policies will be implemented without a town hall meeting and or setting up structures to ease implementation.
