DESPITE the order given by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the continued use of old naira notes in Lagos state, commercial drivers in the early hours of today, Monday, February 20, 2023, insisted that commuters pay the new notes before boarding their vehicles.
Alimoshotoday reported how the Governor, in a statement, warned those refusing the old naira notes to desist from it or risk prosecution. The Governor cited the decision of the Supreme Court that the old notes still remain legal tenders and added that it is against the law to reject the old notes as doing so is contrary to the position of the Supreme Court.
READ MORE: SANWO-OLU WARNS LAGOSIANS AGAINST REJECTION OF OLD NAIRA NOTES, THREATEN PROSECUTION
However, this morning, the roads were dry, as commercial drivers rejected old notes. A commuter who spoke to Alimoshotoday's correspondent decried the situation, describing it as crazy.
"When I got to the bus stop, I observed that it was dry. I thought there was a protest or something but then when a bus pulled up in front of me, I understood the situation. As I was about to board, the conductor first inquired if I had the new notes. I said no, and he said I should not enter. I had old notes, so I decided to look for change for him.
"From my bus stop to Igando, down to Iyana-Ipaja, we were not up to eight passengers in the 14-seater bus. Many people on the road were not having new notes. It is just crazy. When I even asked, I discovered that people now prefer contributing to pay their friends who have private vehicles and are taking their routes," he narrated.
On their part, the driver of a commercial vehicle said he didn’t mind driving with a bus at half-capacity, as if he accepts the old notes, they would be totally useless to him, since he cannot deposit them or use them for any transaction.
