Reconsider subsidy removal, Anglican women urge
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Benue Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has praised the Federal Government for including the state in the distribution of palliative and other interventions as well as for the coordinated efforts to contain the return of insecurity in the state.
After meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Alia told State House Correspondents that the gesture had been beneficial, particularly considering the current dire circumstances regarding fulfilling various obligations to the people and addressing the issue of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that are common in the state.
“Lots of the support we’re gaining from the Federal Government. It is our hope that this will continue,” he said, noting that the gesture has also brought relative peace that was, hitherto, absent because of political divisions of the people along party lines in the state.
“That has been very helpful. Insecurity in the past was something of trouble. But, we are pleased to know that so much work has been done and relative peace has returned to the state and I will continue to do the work, the aim being that we want to get all the IDPs back home to their ancestral homes and ancestral farm lands. Before may 29, It was very impossible for the IDPs to get back to their ancestral places, even to farm this current season they were able to go back and do this.
“However, we still have skirmishes of it. All the other security apparatuses are on it and are helping so much. So, it remains our firm hope and resolution that we’ll get them back to their ancestor homes.
“And we cannot thank the federal government enough for assisting us by all ramifications for us to be able to achieve this.
“We have to thank the President for taking care of the federal roads in the state. All the federal roads that cut across the state you know, were awarded and for renovation and I’m happy he took the step in that direction even before I came to plead for further support in that direction.”
The Mothers Union and Women’s Guild of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has urged the Federal Government to reconsider the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
President of the group, Mrs. Angela Ndukuba, made the call at the closing of its 24th annul conference titled “Walk Before Me and Be Blameless” in Abuja.
The Federal Government had on May 29, announced removal of fuel subsidy which has seen the price of PMS rise to over N600 per litre.
Ndukuba said proper and effective measures should first be put in place and local refineries rehabilitated before subsidy removal.
She said the removal of subsidy on PMS had affected the overall economy and resulted to untold hardships to the masses.
According to her, it has affected transportation, housing, prices of foodstuff, school fees and every aspect of life in Nigeria.
She said: “We are calling on the states and federal government to be mindful of the plights of the citizens and alleviate their sufferings.
“Giving N8,000 to 12 million Nigerian households or increasing salaries is not the solution, what will be the fate of those who are not salary earners and the unemployed?”
Ndukuba said those palliative measures would only increase the already rising inflationary rate in the country.
She said government should go into mass transportation, provision of other social amenities as well as making food available to the public at affordable prices.
“Our refineries should be put in order and made to serve the nation and stop fuel importation,” she said.
The president commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa and all security chiefs in their efforts to curb insecurity in the country.
She called on all the security agencies not to relent in their efforts at making the country a safe place.
Ndukuba admonished all women to engage in farming and growing of foods and animal husbandry to sustain their families and contribute to the economy of the country.
She said with the current food shortage and very high cost of living, farmers should be encouraged by making fertilizers and high breed seeds available.
According to her, farmers should be supported to move from sustenance farming to mechanised farming.
On the theme of the conference, Ndukuba said being blameless did not mean that one would never make mistakes.
She explained that everyone must continually seek to live by God’s will as stated in the scriptures and seek reconciliation when we fall short of God’s grace.
The president urged the women to be agents of transformation, saying that it could start with having faith in Christ Jesus.
She said that transformation could lead to a pursuit of holiness, righteousness, and being blameless, living by God’s moral standards and exhibiting the fruits of the Holy Spirit at all times.