Naira Crisis: I Paid My Transport Fare With Three Derica Of Rice – Students Recounts Ordeal

Some students in Lagos State have come out to recount their ordeal on how they got to school using foodstuffs to pay for transport fares.

Naija News gathered that two students of the Government Technical College in Odomola, Epe on Tuesday recounted their ordeal in the heat of the Federal Government’s naira redesign policy.

According to them, in recent times, some students who don’t have the cash to transport themselves from home to school and vice versa pay their fares with foodstuffs.

One of the students who identified himself as Ridwan told the Daily Post that he paid for his fare back to school on Monday with three derica rice.

Ridwan, who studies Plumbing and Pipefitting, narrated how the drivers of the buses he boarded were angry but eventually had no choice but to accept the raw foodstuffs he offered.

He said “As I was leaving in the morning, I could not get cash from the ATM or PoS, so I used the only cash with me to get to Chevron bus stop.

“It was rice that helped me get to school. The price from Chevron to Ajah is N300 but I gave the bus driver one derica of rice.

“Ajah to Epe is ₦1,000…I paid with another one derica. When I got to Epe, I explained to the okada man that I didn’t have cash but had food.

“He took me to my area near Landlord Association road and I gave him one derica instead of paying N300. That’s how my three derica finished.”

Another student, identified as Tunde, who studies Garment Making, also disclosed how he paid for his transport with a loaf of bread on Sunday.

Tunde said in recent times other colleagues of his also engage in the act since they have no access to cash.

He submitted that “No cash and we cannot withdraw for some weeks now. The foodstuff we take from home is small but we don’t have a choice other than use it to find our way.

“If you’re not ready to drop something, no car, bus, okada, or even Keke will carry you except the ones that decide to assist because we are students.”

Naija News recalls that the Supreme Court nullified the federal government’s naira redesign policy while extending the validity of the old N200, N500, and ₦1,000 till December 31.