Naira Scarcity: “How I’ve Been Surviving on N20K for One Week,” Femi Adesina Reveals
- The special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, has recounted his ordeal amid the scarcity of new naira notes
- In his recent article, he revealed that he had been greatly affected by the implementation of the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira redesign policy
- He revealed that he had to lobby for cash from a banker, and he was able to get just N20,000
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Femi Adesina, the spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari says he is also a victim of the incessant scarcity of the new naira note that has ravaged the country over the past weeks.
As reported by the Punch newspaper, Adesina made this revelation in one of his recent articles titled “Living on a shoestring budget,” where he revealed that he has been surviving on N20,000 in over a week.
Source: UGC
He further revealed how he spent the N20,000 during his trip to Bauchi, Lagos, Senegal, Katsina, Kano and Jigawa" between Monday, January 23 to Tuesday, January 31.
Femi Adesina said:
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“I didn’t want to be like the unwise cripple, who had been told that war was approaching, but who stayed put in the same spot.
"So I parked everything I had, every dime, and sent it to the bank. I didn’t want my modest funds to become something fit only for the museum.”
“The Central Bank of Nigeria later secured a ten days extension of the deadline from President Muhammadu Buhari, which has now been further extended by a Supreme Court ruling. But it has not changed the fact that I’ve been spending the sum of N20,000 for one week, and I’m still spending it. Shoestring budget? Yes, you are right. That’s what it is.”
Femi Adesina recounts how he lobbied for N20k from a banker
He stated that he spent the sum of N6,000 within the period of three days and by Friday, the sum of N2,500 has also been exhausted.
As contained in the article, he narrated how many Nigeria have been beclouded with the notion that high level government officials like himself are not being affected by the implementation of the new Central Bank of Nigeria policy.
He further narrated his encounter with his banker whom he called to help him get cash for the day.
Adesina narrated:
“He said the best he could do was get N20,000.00 for me, through the Automated Teller Machine, which was his own entitlement for the day. Well, beggars can’t be choosers, and half bread, as they say, is better than none.
“I sent my driver to collect the money, and promptly cancelled all the engagements I had lined up for the weekend. When you stay in your house, watching football and making yourself happy, you need not spend much money, if at all.”
CBN Naira Redesign: "I Don’t Have Cash," Buhari's Minister Cries Out
Similarly, a former governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola, has said that the CBN redesign policy is not working.
Fashola, who is also the minister of works and housing, admitted that a lot of Nigerians are going through pain due to the initiative.
The minister added that personally he is affected by the apex bank's decision as he does not have cash.
CBN Insists Banks Get New Naira Notes Daily Despite Shut Down of Some Branches
Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria has said that commercial banks in Nigeria still receive new notes from them daily.
The bank’s director of Consumer Protection, Rashidate Monguno, stated this in Kwara state.
The statement comes as commercial banks in some parts of Nigeria shut down operations, citing attacks on their facilities.
Source: Legit.ng
