Catholic clerics task Tinubu on fuel subsidy, others

Be firm about hardship, hunger, women urge President

Disturbed by the hardship and poverty among Nigerians, the Catholic Bishops of Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province (KEP) have urged President Bola Tinubu to consider reversing fuel subsidy removal.

The clerics advised him not to see the reversal as a sign of weakness but depiction of responsible leadership.

Rising from the Second Plenary session yesterday in Kaduna, KEP Chairman, Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, submitted: “We have been with subsidy for the past 25 years and we all knew it was eating deep into the finances of the nation and definitely had to go, but the hasty manner in which the President announced the removal had a lot of implications for the psychology and economic well-being of the people.

“People would have been given notice, for instance the subsidy would be removed by 25 per cent in the next six months, so he could remove the subsidy in phases alongside the provision of palliatives and others. It’s about the people, even if the President spends 10 years removing subsidy in phases without inflicting severe hardship on the people that will be better.”

While calling on Tinubu not to discard those hawks, who see protests as an affront to his government, the clerics advised: “The President should, by appointments, find a way of bringing in competent Nigerians across party lines to help further national cohesion.”

Ndagoso added: “We propose that he decongests the presidential fleet, suspends or rethinks the idea of purchasing a new plane for himself, and continues to tighten the belt on public expenditure. Looking inward, we encourage the President to liaise with local industrialists to widen the net for employment and self-sufficiency. In the medium and long term, the President should ban the use of foreign cars by all public officers.

“These policies can inspire confidence in our people. Rather than hiring non-state actors to pacify people, politicians must engage their people directly.

“We encourage the President to focus on the ideals of democracy by building consensus rather than the temptation to search for enemies. Having come from a tradition of protest, the President should appreciate that these protests do not undermine a country. However, leaders of faith communities and civil society must also sharpen their tools and capacity for advocacy.”

SIMILARLY, Chairperson of the Women Wing Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Southwest Zone, Prophetess Odunola Raji-Adebesin, has advised the President to be firm and decisive in alleviating the suffering of the people.
She advised as the body begins its 10th anniversary alongside the empowerment of women, award presentations and investiture of dignitaries today.

The four-in-one event with the theme, ‘Repositioning Women For Growth and Development’, is to end on August 18 at the Apostolic Church of Nigeria, LAWNA Territory, Olorunda Ketu, Lagos State.

Raji-Adebesin said the theme was influenced by the situation in the country and prevailing stereotypes about women’s roles, stressing that the dignity of women deserves due recognition and positive appraisal.

“Without mincing words, the position of women in any social organisation cannot be underrated and overestimated because, by divine work of God, women are so important because of their meaningful contributions to the success of any association, organisation, family, church and communities.

“Women are precious ornaments and magnificent creatures that are always ready to sacrifice whatever they have for the growth and development of wherever they find themselves. Hence, the need for them to be duly recognised,” she said.