Residents lament economic hardships at Christmas

Some residents of Lagos State, on Sunday, lamented what they called “economic hardship” which, according to them, has negatively affected this year’s Christmas celebration.

In separate interviews with our correspondent, residents decried issues such as a hike in costs of groceries and transportation as well as the current scarcity of cash being experienced in the state.

Some traders also lament “poor sales” which they believed was caused by economic hardship in the land.

“Foodstuff is too expensive,” said a widow, Mrs R. Sulaiman, adding “The economic hardship being faced by Nigerians has made it difficult for me to cater adequately for my children this Christmas.”

Another resident, Clement Osakwe, who said he would have travelled to his Enugu hometown to celebrate with his people, lamented that he could not afford the cost of transportation for himself and his family, despite the 50 percent rebate on transportation costs by President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

“We heard that the Federal Government has offered a 50 per cent discount on the cost of transportation of some transport companies, but the truth is that many cannot still afford the remaining 50 percent. I can’t afford it for myself and my family. Times are hard,” Osakwe said.

A resident in the Ketu area of the state, who simply gave his name as Ademola, decried how “banks have decided to add to our hardship this festive season.”

“What exactly is the problem with cash? Why is cash scarce? Is there a new policy that says they should not give out cash? Why are we deliberately wicked to ourselves in this nation?” an infuriated Ademola queried.

He pleaded with the government to “arrest this menace of cash scarcity immediately,” adding that it was an artificial scarcity “caused by enemies of the nation.”