The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has made a strong appeal to President Bola Tinubu-led government to reassess its economic policies, highlighting the need to address the severe poverty affecting Nigerians.
The CBCN President, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, made this appeal during a homily at the ordination of 11 priests at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral in Owerri. He directly linked the worsening poverty in the country to the removal of the fuel subsidy and the devaluation of the naira, both of which have led to hyperinflation and significant hardship.
Rev. Ugorji stated, “The President of any country ought to be a listening and compassionate leader. I don’t want to talk about the hunger protest in detail, but we cannot continue to keep quiet.”
He further elaborated on the ongoing protests against hunger and hardship, saying, “Credible reports have it that the protest has claimed so many lives and caused properties worth millions of naira, to be destroyed or looted. We do not know how many people that will die in the days ahead if the protest continues.”
“In protesting, the people were just exercising their constitutional right by assembling and expressing their feelings of anger and concern over bad governance in the country,” he continued.
“It is obvious that people do not only march on the streets to express their anger, but also engage in other actions. Indeed, it remains a truism that action speaks louder than words.”
The CBCN President emphasized the urgency of the situation: “Despite all petitions and pleas, our young people decided to go to the streets to say they are dying of hunger and hardship. It is a very serious matter, and government should see it as such. The protesters, by their actions, also demanded attentive listening to what they are saying.”
He also urged the government to take into account the economic realities facing Nigerians, noting, “To listen to what the youngsters are saying, government should rely on the prevailing amount of rising prices of everything needed for living.”
Archbishop Ugorji was critical of the government’s economic policies, particularly the devaluation of the naira, which he said had led to hyperinflation.
He remarked, “Floating of the nation’s currency amounts to devaluation of the naira. The President removed fuel subsidy and surreptitiously devalued the naira. He devalued the currency used in paying workers and still want the workers to continue to work at the same amount that was agreed when the naira had a higher value.”
He also expressed concern over the impact of the removal of the fuel subsidy, stating, “When the President removed petroleum subsidy, he should have been aware that it will come with ugly consequences because everything revolves around transportation. Government ought to have known that production of goods and services largely relies on fuel. Currently, the prices of everything have risen astronomically and people have been reduced to multi-dimensional poverty. Simply explained, poverty means not having access to what you need to survive each day.”
Rev. Ugorji highlighted the harsh realities many Nigerians are facing, saying, “Food may be available but definitely not affordable. In this day and age, people can no longer afford things they are used to and the standard of living has drastically reduced to zero per cent.”
He concluded by adding his voice to those calling for immediate action from the government: “I am adding my voice to the voices of those who have already called on the President to address the demands of the young people, for peace to reign. If the government says they are listening to the people, then it should immediately address these problems.”
Regarding the government’s efforts to mitigate the hardship, he questioned their effectiveness, saying, “We are also told that the government is trying to cushion the effect of the current hardship by distributing palliatives and remittance of money into people’s bank accounts. I don’t know how many people that have received it.”