The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, and the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, dissected the state of the nation and returned a grim verdict: hardship is paralysing socioeconomic lives in communities and hunger causing a serious humanitarian crisis. Besides, the Catholic Bishops lamented that Nigeria was in her worst times in terms of insecurity, economy, and corruption, and called for sincere, accountable, and collective effort to halt the current slide and steer her towards a more secure and prosperous future.
The Catholic Bishops and CAN spoke as the Federal Government, through Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, acknowledged the problems and restated its determination to tackle security and economic challenges, with a view to improving the quality of life for all Nigerians. The trio spoke at the opening session of the 2024 First Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja yesterday.
Specifically, the CBCN President, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, issued a stark assessment of the current situation in the country, describing it as the ‘ worst of times,’ particularly with regard to security and the economy, and described the state of affairs in the nation as tumultuous. The Archbishop drew attention to the stark realities facing Nigerians, emphasizing the persistent insecurity and economic turmoil, despite substantial security votes. “If we cast a cursory glance at the present state of our nation, we are inclined to conclude that this seems to be the worst of times for our country in the areas of security and the economy,” he said.
According to him, kidnappings for ransom, senseless killings, and the rise of banditry have left communities across Nigeria in the grip of fear and paralysis.
“Unarmed citizens are brutally slaughtered on our highways, in their homes and even in the sacred precincts of places of worship. Killer herdsmen, bandits and unknown gunmen seem to be on rampage. ‘’Many communities across the nation have been taken over completely by criminals. Families have lost their ancestral lands to armed invaders and land-grabbers,” the Archbishop lamented.
He emphasized the severity of the situation where citizens were brutally attacked in what should be sanctuaries of peace.
In the same vein, the Archbishop criticized the government’s reform agenda, which has led to the withdrawal of fuel subsidies and a steep decline in naira’s value. His words: “The reform agenda of the present government has added to the plight of Nigerians. With the withdrawal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange market, there has been a sharp increase in the pump price of petroleum products and a steep decline in the value of the naira. “Indeed, there is a free fall of the national currency. High, spiralling inflation has made it difficult for the average Nigerian to access basic commodities, including food items and medication.
“As a result of the government’s reform agenda, millions of Nigerians have been reduced to a life of grinding poverty, wanton suffering, and untold hardship as never before in our national history. In a bid to survive, an increasing number of the poor have resorted to begging.”
The CBCN President also touched upon the government’s lavish spending amid a population crippled by poverty, saying “as the government demands additional sacrifice from the struggling masses, one would expect to see a drastic cut in the cost of running the government at all levels. “On the contrary, it is worrisome to watch top government functionaries living by the sweat, toil and tears of the poor. They continue spending huge public funds on ostentatious and luxurious lifestyles and seem incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor. “It is no less worrisome to note that corruption among many public servants has gone beyond scale and measure corruption.
“Corruption is a complex reality involving moral rottenness, defilement and loss of integrity. In Nigeria, it spans a wide spectrum, ranging from book- cooking, foreign exchange (FX) arbitrage, over-pricing, and over- invoicing to embezzlement, money laundering, forgery, and all sorts of manipulation.” Condemning the rampant corruption and mismanagement of resources, the Archbishop underscored the plight of Nigerian youth, many of whom are unemployed and resort to drugs, alcohol, or emigration in desperation. Archbishop Ugorji, who called attention to the longterm consequences of such a loss of human capital, said further: “The situation is worsened by the high unemployment rate in the country. Many of our youths are deeply wounded and degraded by unemployment and poverty, which make them feel rejected by the very society into which they were born. “Consequently, thousands of them seek relief from drugs and alcohol and eventually end up in violent crimes. In search of greener pastures, many others try to migrate to foreign lands where hard times often await them.