By Jane Okafor, Abuja
ABUJA: Again, President Bola Tinubu has said that he fully understood the pains Nigerians were grappling with but that the present economic reform was necessary to build a resilient country and guarantee our children’s future.
The President said this Friday in Abuja when he received the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, a body that days earlier had assailed his administration on all fronts over the current hardship and challenges buffeting the citizens.
However, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu harped on the importance of citizens and leaders investing in the nation to build a strong society.
He emphasised that poverty affects everyone regardless of religion and called for collective efforts to fight it. He stressed that the tax reform presented a good investment opportunity for citizens to build their nation.
“Yes, removing the fuel subsidy was hard, tough for me, but it’s a hard choice that Nigeria must face. We are not going to bankrupt our country.
“We were spending the investment of the future of our children yet unborn; We were spending their rights, and poverty has no religious basis. There’s no religious colouration, no identity. It affects all, and we must fight it together,” the President emphasised.
On the request to return mission schools that governments have taken over, President Tinubu said schools are subnational entities, not owned by the Federal Government.
“I’ve been a good example as the governor of Lagos State. I returned all the mission schools,” he said.
President Tinubu commended the Catholic body’s commitment to education and healthcare.
He added that he set up NELFUND to ensure that no student dropped out of school due to a lack of funds for tuition fees. He promised to look at ways to help students of private institutions that NELFUND does not cover.
President Tinubu noted that the security agencies were already curtailing the nation’s insecurity, stressing that adherents of all religions felt the impact of the efforts.
“This insecurity, everyone is affected, Christians, Muslims alike. I have no religious bias; I won’t be a bigot. My wife is a pastor of Redeemed Christian Church. But we have to think of our country; this country must develop and must stand beyond religious bigotry. And I’m here open to you, ready to listen.
“We’ve been together for some time. We have an open-door policy. I will not shut my door.”
The President thanked religious leaders for their prayers, as the country is already witnessing a better deal and a newfound optimism. He highlighted the competition among operators in the petroleum sector, the bountiful harvest enjoyed by farmers, and the lower prices of commodities, adding that investments are flowing into the country.
“There is hope; people are coming in to invest. They are saying good things about Nigeria. I am very proud of that. What seems to be a very difficult beginning is now showing us hope. And we are not half-time yet. I’m happy to see this period alive and healthy, and I am thankful to all of you for your prayers.
Most Reverend Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, the Archbishop of Owerri and the CBCN President, who led the delegation of 20 Bishops from across the country, said they were at the State House to congratulate President Tinubu on his victory, having not had the opportunity last year, and to commend him for his efforts to reposition the country and share some concerns.
“Your government’s policy mantra is anchored on the principles of Renewed Hope. In this regard, we are pleased to inform you that the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared this year as the year of hope, the Jubilee Year of Hope, a theme we adopted for our conference. We came with the final fruits of our deliberations and will share them with you.”
He said the removal of fuel subsidies had undoubtedly affected the people and commended the tax reform initiative, which he believed would “generate, in the long run, more resources for advancing the common good.”
He acknowledged the efforts of security agencies to curtail insecurity in the land. Still, he urged for more concerted efforts to “rekindle hope and inspire confidence in the hearts of our people.”
The Bishops called for a well-defined vision of religion as a force for moral integrity and patriotic unity without necessarily impinging on individuals’ fundamental rights.
According to them, “efforts should be made to ensure that religious practice in Nigeria fosters unity rather than division.”
On religious pilgrimages, the body said that government should hands-off sponsorship to curtail waste and corruption.
“The government should allow religious groups to take full responsibility for organising pilgrimages. In their current structure, the national and state pilgrims’ boards serve neither their adherents nor the broader interest of the nation. You’re undoubtedly aware of the instances of corruption that have led to the removal of some board executives to ensure greater efficiency and accountability.
“We would propose that public funds be redirected towards pressing national needs,” the CBCN President said.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed, who was also at the event, recalled his attendance at the Charismatic Bishop Conference in 2024, emphasising the need for the nation to remain together, to be united, to be focused, and to maintain support for the government, even in the face of temporary hardship.
“It is no news that in any reform that happens in all parts of the world, temporary hardships are usually experienced. And we’re happy to note that today, not only does the federal government have more money to spend to bring about the kind of promises that the President made at the very beginning, but also to ensure that the future, according to the President, as he always says, the future of our children and the children yet unborn, will not be frittered away.”
Mohammed said security had greatly improved in the nation. “In 2023, I know how difficult it was to move from Abuja to Kaduna; it is almost impossible just to take your car, fuel it, and begin to go on that road. Today, this is not the case. We know that farmers used to find it extremely difficult to go to the farms. We know that this has not completely gone away, but it is a reality that today, no one asks questions to move from Abuja to Kaduna or any part of the North.”
He said the national value charter that the President championed in his 2025 New Year message will soon be launched to ensure that Nigerians come together to reclaim our lost values.
He added that the National Orientation Agency is working to ensure that both religions teach the Bible and the Quran in our schools and the return of civic education.
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, also attended the event.
