The Anglican Bishop of Ngbo Diocese, Rt. Rev. Godwin Awoke, on Wednesday tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to re-open Nigerian borders in the interest of the nation’s economy.
Awoke made this known while speaking with journalists shortly after the first session of the fifth synod of the Church, taking place at Ngbo Diocese in Ebonyi State.
The cleric stated that the people of Nigeria were passing through pains, sufferings, economic loss and hardship as a result of the border closure by the President.
He, however, commended the federal government and the organized labour for reaching agreement on the protracted impasse over consequential adjustment arising from N30,000 minimum wage and called for speedy implementation and payment of the new minimum wage to ameliorate workers’ sufferings.
He frowned at lopsided appointment of key political office holders in the country, resulting in the marginalization of some ethnic groups, saying “such lopsided appointments also offend the principles of federal character and affects the unity of the country.”
On insecurity, Awoke said ”the synod is concerned with the dwindling security situation in Nigeria as a result of the activities of armed banditry, Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping, farmers/herders clash, cultism, etc and then urges government to do more in the area of security as the protection of lives and properties of the citizens is the primary responsibility of every government.”
Also speaking, the guest preacher and Bishop of Ogbaru Diocese, Rt. Rev. Prosper Amah condemned the increasing rate of godfatherism in Nigerian politics, adding that such should stop for the interest of the nation.
He noted that occupiers of positions of authority in Nigeria now listened to the dictates of their godfathers rather than the felt needs of the people, which according to him, affected delivery of dividends of democracy.
