The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has called on President Bola Tinubu to revisit his economic policies, noting that Nigerians are no longer at ease with them.
It was reports that Ugorji, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri, stated that the economic policies put in place by President Tinubu have caused Nigerians more harm than good.
He made the call on Sunday while delivering his welcome address at the opening session of the 2024 Second Plenary Assembly of the CBCN held in Auchi, Edo State.
He said the socio-economic problems of the nation were unmistakably beyond what economic reforms alone can effectively resolve, no matter how well thought-out and how meticulously implemented.
Most Rev. Ugorji, who opined that it seemed that the policies were no longer working, however, advocated for the return to a regional system of government to checkmate corruption and put the nation at the right footing.
He said the calls to return to the regional system was because the problems in the country have gone beyond mere economic reforms.
“When all is said and done, we must admit that the cost of running our military imposed presidential system of government with so many elected officials assisted by numerous support staff is staggering and unsustainable.
“We must also acknowledge that the corruption level of many Nigerian politicians have gone beyond scale and measure and that controlling our national resources at the federal government level creates more opportunities for corruption to flourish.
“Having experimented on the presidential system of government for over 25 years and having groped in the dark in search of solutions to our socio-economic problems, now seems to be the opportune time to heed the advice of some of our best minds canvassing for our return to the former regional system of government as envisaged by the founding fathers of our nation or devolve power to the present six geo-political zones”, he said.
The Archbishop, who said the bishops acknowledged the feats enumerated by President Bola Tinubu on his 4th of August speech, noted that they cannot fail to admit that the present state of the nation was worrisome.
He listed the numerous problems bedeviling the nation to include increased debt burden of $2.25 billion loan facility from the World Bank in June 2024, with a repayment period of 40 years.
He said the debt increased the nation’s public debt profile by 2.46 percent to $93.7 billion.
Ugorji also listed multiple taxation, hunger and hardship induced by insecurity as the major challenges faced by the citizens.
He posited that proactive steps must be taken urgently to address the situation before it snowballed into a huge crisis.
Earlier in his homily, Most Rev. Fr. Gabriel Dunia, Bishop of Auchi Diocese, called on those in authority not to lord it over those whom they have been called to serve.
Dunia noted that the led must know that they were duty bound to respect those in authorities because God had placed them there to lead
He contended that banditry, corruption, and bad governance can come to an end through fasting and prayers.
The Bishop of Auchi Diocese, who disagreed with the insinuation that God has stopped hearing the prayers of His people, assured that He hears but that Nigerians have to pray more.
He explained that the bishops were in Auchi to pray for the country and that they believed that God in His infinite mercy would turn the fortune of the country around for good.
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