As the nation’s economy bits unrelentingly, Nigerians are devising different ‘structural adjustment strategies’ to keep body and soul together, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
A cross-section of respondents, who spoke with NAN in Ibadan on Friday, said they had resorted to rationing their meagre resources amidst other coping mechanisms.
A public servant, Mrs Funmi Alli, said she had taken time to lecture her children on managing available resources and avoiding wastage.
“I have told them we can no longer buy anything unnecessary so that we can reduce cost and save more; this is in addition to reducing our consumption pattern.
“I have also learnt to reduce the consumption of fuel by parking my car somewhere and going about the day’s work, using public transport,” she said.
Alli said she had come to add more sources of income to ensure she survived the biting economy.
An accountant, Mrs Sola Alawode, said her family had adjusted to the situation by making main meals out of what used to be mere snacks.
“I told my children that garri is no longer a snack but a main meal. If you’ve taken it, it means you have taken the meal for that time,” Alawode said.
An entrepreneur, Mr Oluwasegun Abudioke, said: “The best and very realistic way to answer you is just to say that ‘God’s grace has been sufficient’.
“As I speak to you, I’m lying down on an empty stomach with so much hunger. My closest expectations are still two weeks from now but how I will survive before then is a hard nut to crack.”
“I had to borrow money from someone to add to what I made yesterday to re-stock for today.
“Each day I keep running at a loss, as I no longer realise the cost price of the inputs I use in preparing food to sell, let alone making profits,” Adegoke said.
Mr Sanmi Olatunde, a worker in an organisation he wouldn’t want to disclose, said he and his family had reduced consumption after reviewing their budget.
“What we normally buy in large quantity has been reduced to small quantity for this period,” he said.
Another entrepreneur, Mrs Motunrayo Aroloye, said: “As we all know, the economic situation of Nigeria has become alarming and a thing of concern. To cope in this economy, some adjustments have to be made.
