The Methodist Church Nigeria has called on government at all levels in the country to be sensitive to the plights of citizens of the country and urgently “make them breathe fresh air.”
Rising from the 13th Annual Synod of Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Ngbo, Ebonyi State, the Church decried what she called “maladministration and total abuse of all known tenets of democratic regime since independence and failure in formulating people’s oriented policies especially among states in the South East Zone of the country.”
The church also frowned at “the free fall of Naira (Symbol) of Nigeria’s economy against the dollar and other major foreign currencies, insecurity assuming more sophisticated dimension and proportion, ailing and almost total disappearance of industries in the country.”
In a communiqué signed by the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. J. Ken Egbochue and Diocesan Lay President, Sir Peter Onwe and issued at the end of the Synod which held at Ebenezer Methodist Church Ejirike Ekwashi, with the theme “Arise and Build (Nehemiah 2:18), the Church through the Synod commended President Bola Tinubu for steering the ship of the country navigating through the harsh economic challenges confronting almost every sector of the nation’s economy.
The Synod however, urged government at all levels to urgently adopt deliberate measures that would cushion the effect of the “harsh policies of government instead of the short term palliatives of government agencies.”
Such measures it said should include but not limited to, effective agricultural engagement for food security across every zone of the country, revival of the moribund industries in Nigeria using technologies to create employment for the youths, and for all the state security establishments such as the Army, Police, Civil Defence etc to end kidnapping and banditry and other vices in the country.
The Synod appreciated Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, whom she said had demonstrated brilliance in leadership through conscientious and systematic implementation of his people’s Chatter of Needs philosophy that has formed the fulcrum of his administration’s policies “thereby giving meaning to average citizens of the state. He created an atmosphere of ease of doing business in the state, relative peace in every part of the state.”
While lauding Gov. Nwifuru, other critical political stakeholders in Ngbo land including Hon. EzeNwachukwu Eze of the House Representatives; Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly, Hon Chinedu Onah; Ngbo Leaders Council, traditional and religious institutions and youth bodies, the Synod urged them to cement the peace accord between Ngbo in Ebonyi State and Agila in Benue State and end the over 100 years of hostilities between the homogenous neighbours.
“The Synod therefore appealed to the Federal Government, the two states of Ebonyi and Benue through the instrumentality of the National Boundary Commission, the Federal Ministry of Works and other agencies of government to urgently commence the implementation of the provisions of the Budget on the said area, by constructing the road connecting the two former enemies, creating a Buffer Zone in the area with a Military Barracks, educational institutions, Market and other activities that will permanently end hostility in the area.
“The Synod considered the imperative of a technologically tailored educational curriculum urged government at all levels to urgently address the challenge of over dependence on government paid employments citing the examples of world technologically advanced countries of the world like America, China, Japan and other European countries whose exploits are as a result of their science and Technology based education policies. This will lead the country to the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other industrial innovation for self-sustenance.”
