Nation drifting, listen to people’s cries, clerics tell Buhari

Catholic Bishops of Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to the pains and cries of Nigerians “now subjected to various hardships since the inception of this government.” Th e Bishops made the call yesterday in Minna at a press briefi ng jointly addressed by Chairman of the group, Archbishop Mathew Man-Oso Ndagusu, and Bishop John Niyiring, as secretary. Th ey said apart from the political elite and their collaborators, almost every segment of the population was angry and frustrated, adding that “businesses are closing down, abandoned projects litter everywhere, and retired pensioners still wait in vain, while workers salaries remain unpaid.”

Th e clerics lamented that public facilities and health services have continued to deteriorate while life remain hazardous for citizens, insisting that “it is hard to imagine anytime that our people felt so angry, frustrated and betrayed by their elected offi cials.” “We are saddened by the fact that after two years there are still no measurable changes in the welfare of our people.

Th e recession has not abated; the ordinary people continue to hang in a balance as insecurity ravages the land. Th e party in power remains riddled in internal infi ghting and has thus lost a sense of moral direction and urgency,” they said. Th e clerics regretted that very little had happened to assure Nigerians that they have stake in their own country, adding that “we cannot successfully go into next election circle in this state of siege.” “We repeat what we all know, namely that our country is in serious need of repentance and healing. Our people have suff ered untold hardship. We continue to appeal to our people to be law abiding.” Th ey expressed sadness that the APC government did not take advantage of the opportunities that the last elections presented during which people voted across religions and regions, adding that government seemed to have squandered most of that goodwill.

Leave a Reply