By Mick Oseji, Benin/Asaba
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria on Sunday painted a gloomy picture about the state of the nation, warning that the is presently “sitting on a ticking time bomb” on the watch of President Bola Tinubu.
Citing the prevailing poverty, corruption and the nation’s rising debt profile, the Catholic Bishops said that as long as the issues remained unaddressed, Nigeria would continue to grapple with more discontents.
They reckoned that the huge burden of “servicing huge debts to international monetary agencies and sourcing for funds internally to balance budget deficit led to the economic reforms of President Tinubu in the withdrawal of fuel subsidies and the free floating of naira.
President of the Catholic body and the President of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, expressed the concern in his welcome address at the opening Session of the 2024 second Plenary Assembly of the CBCN in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Ugorji, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri, while declaring the Conference open, said the future of Nigeria rests on how the leaders are able to tackle the challenges plaguing the country.
He, however, expressed the confidence that trust in God would transform the country.
He said: “On August 4th, President Bola Tinubu enumerated the achievements of his administration. While we recognise that notable progress has been made in some sectors of our national life, we cannot fail to admit that the present state of the nation is worrisome. Even though insecurity remains one of our major challenges.
“As our national economy continues to decline, the Nigerian youths embarked on a nationwide protest tagged # EndbadGovernance from 1 to 10th August 2024.
“The protest was aimed at publicly voicing their disappointment and frustration on the ills bedevilling the nation. Although Nigeria has the constitutional right to express its grievances through peaceful protests, there was widespread concern it could be hijacked by miscreants.
“Likewise, we condemn in strong terms the killing of some protesting youths by security operatives. We pray for the repose of the dead, the speedy recovery of the injured and the consolation of the bereaved.
“We wish to stress that as long as the nation is afflicted with poverty, hardship and corruption, and as long as the future of youths in our nation remains bleak, we continue to experience protest. Rather than address the ill, trying to drown the nation, some government officials are busy passing the buck and looking for a scapegoat.
“We are indeed sitting on a ticking time bomb as security operatives try to crack down on some of those involved in the protest and their sponsors on trumped-up charges.
“This raises concerns about whether they are trying to strip citizens of their democratic rights and freedoms to protest or give the impression that everything in the country is fine and there was really no need for the protest. This is delusional and condemnable.”
He called for the return of the regional system of government to tackle pervasive corruption and position the nation on the path of regeneration, productivity and prosperity.
He said: “The socio-economic problems of our nation are unmistakably beyond what economic reforms alone can effectively resolve, no matter how well thought-out and how meticulously implemented.
“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 scae 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 envisage by the wise founding fathers of our nation or devolve power to the present six geo-political zones.”
