Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has urged Nigerians and the Church to bind the wounds of division, and banish the cynicism of despair for the development and growth of the country.
Senator Akpabio made the call in his opening address at the opening session of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held at the Diocesan Retreat and Youth Center, Nto Ekpu Ikot, Obot Akara Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Sunday, September 15.
Akpabio, speaking s Chairman of the occasion, enjoined Nigerians never to be despaired by the current situation that Nigeria was going through but to look forward to a brighter future.
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“Let us therefore renew hope in the Nigerian enterprise. Let us believe again that our land can be great, that our children can inherit a future brighter than our present. Let us bind the wounds of division, banish the cynicism of despair, and walk together—Church and State, pulpit and parliament, faith and policy—towards the dawn.
“Transformation is not the burden of one arm of society, nor the privilege of a select few. It is a covenant of partnership. As St. Paul declares: ‘We are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
He used the opportunity to call on Nigerians to be patient with the administration of President Bola Tinubu, assuring that the reforms initiated by the government will soon bear fruits of economic prosperity.
According to Akpabio, “Let me seize this opportunity to urge my compatriots to be patient with your government as we lay again the foundations of this house. Do not despair when the winds blow strong or the scaffolding shakes.
“For a nation is like a mighty cathedral—it is not raised overnight, but stone by stone, prayer by prayer, hand by hand. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31).
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who represented President Bola Tinubu, said the administration was working towards building a country that works for everyone.
“This administration came into office with a firm commitment to renew hope, strengthen our democratic institutions and build a Nigeria that works for all. We have taken bold steps to stabilize the economy, attract investment and implement reforms that will bring enduring benefits to our country.”
He urged the Church to keep supporting the government and assured that the Tinubu administration would leave no one behind through its social investment programmes.
Also speaking, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has applauded the Catholic Church for its critical role in social reformation.
The Governor who made the commendation noted that the Catholic Church has played key roles all over the world by demanding fair, equitable, and good governance that places the welfare of the people at the centre of policy formulations and implementation.
He specifically commended some Catholic Bishops and priests in Nigeria including Cardinals Olubunmi Okogie, John Onaiyekan, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah for their commitment in fighting injustice, enthronement of democracy, and other social issues, especially those concerning the poor, the vulnerable, and the voiceless.
He noted that the State under his leadership has since inception, heavily invested in lifting people out of poverty and giving voice and comfort to the poor and the vulnerable which, according to him, accounts for the billions of Naira spent in initiating programmes that seek to improve their living conditions and the creation of a stand-alone Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
“To date, we have built and handed over 205 ARISE compassionate homes for the poor, widows, and the most vulnerable amongst us. Sometimes, I am almost drawn to tears when I see the joy expressed by the beneficiaries of these homes, all of which are fitted with modern features such as solar power and borehole.
“We are also paying N50,000 monthly to 600 elders drawn from all the 368 wards in the State, for them to take care of their medical and other urgent needs. We are currently undertaking another round of free food distribution exercise for the needy and the most vulnerable across the 368 wards, drawn from the Social Register. So far, we have covered 477,000 households in phases one and two and will do another round in time for the Yuletide period.
“This was the promise I made during our gubernatorial campaign that we will run a Christ-centric government, a fact that was re-echoed in my inaugural address,” he said.
Governor Eno said that over N70 billion has been paid out of the N98 billion inherited from previous administrations in backlog of gratuities to enable the retirees live out their retirement in peace and in relative good health.
On the health sector which the State recently declared an emergency on, the Governor said besides the approval for the recruitment of 2000 health workers into the Civil Service, the government has also approved the recall of all retired but fit workers in the health sector to help boost the manpower need of the sector.
The Governor who has heavily invested in the health sector especially in primary healthcare, said the State was upgrading its health facilities and working with nursing schools to nurture young nurses to prepare them for the future.
He welcomed the Bishops to the State and congratulated the Catholic Diocese of Ikot Ekpene, and its Bishop, Most Rev. Camillus R. Umoh, for hosting the Conference and for the warm and cordial relationship his administration has enjoyed from the Catholic Church and indeed the Body of Christ since assumption of office.
Earlier in his speech, the President of the CBCN and Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, had decried the prevalence of Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), saying it calls for government’s regulation and ethical guidelines.
Archbishop Ugorji also called on the government to look into the erosion of educational standards taking place in “Miracle Examination Centres” where malpractices are commited during examinations conducted by the West Africa Examination Council and the National Examination Council respectively.
The conference had in attendance the Apostolic Nuncio and representative of the Pope, Most Rev. Michael Francis Crotty, Catholic Bishops from all over Nigeria and other Catholic faithful, members of the National Assembly, politicians and the worshippers from all parts of the country.
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