by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Cost of goods and services in the country have been attributed to the removal of subsidy on petroleum products with subsequent increase in electricity tariff. As a way of providing succor to the suffering masses, the Federal Govt has been urged to put in place appropriate mechanisms to reduce the hardship on citizens.
It is also observed that, the harsh economic policies by the Federal Government – without corresponding dynamic arrangements to cushion the effect – have added salt to injury, as this has made life difficult for Nigerian citizens.
This assertion was contained in a ‘Communiqué of Evangelical Church Winning All’ (ECWA), issued at the end of its 71st General Assembly 2024, at the ECWA Headquarters International Conference Hall, Jos, on Friday, signed by Rev. Dr. Stephen Baba Panya (ECWA President) and Rev. Ayuba Asheshe (General Secretary).
They Council noted with immense concern the biting hunger among citizens as a result of shortage of food supply due to persistent insecurity of all kinds that paralyzed the activities of rural farmers.
The Communiqué urged the Federal Government to urgently act decisively to put in measures that will checkmate the insecurity and ensure rural farmers resume their farming activities.
It also expressed satisfaction on the recent proactive measures put in by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to checkmate naira devaluation, which had yielded a significant stability of the naira against the dollar.
The Communiqué also urged government to sustain the effort to help in curbing inflammation and reduce the cost of goods and services, since Nigeria is an import-dependent economy.
On Global warming, the Council decried the increasing depletion of ozone layer resulting in increase of temperatures that led to the loss of about one hundred people in Mali, observing that the changes have serious impact on agriculture and food security, depleting resources in every part of the country and, by extension, the world over, thereby posing serious food security challenges in the face of the rapidly growing population.
It therefore called on all citizens and authorities to do everything possible to safeguard the environment, and enjoined members worldwide to diversify their vocations to ensure sustainability of family needs and not to rely on one source of income.
The Communiqué also expressed dismay and frowned at the high level of insecurity in Nigeria through banditry, kidnapping for ransom, incessant killing of innocent citizens by ‘unknown’ gun men, destruction of lives and property with impunity by terrorists, which has resulted to continued disarray of Nigerian nation and the near total collapse of the economy, thereby leaving Nigerians in helpless hardship.
It equally appreciated and commended the Nigerian Military and security agencies for risking their lives in the course of fighting against terrorism, insurgency and other forms of insecurity.
The Council condoles with the families of the security personnel and other Nigerians, who lost their loved ones in the course of defending the nation.
The Communiqué also decried the failure of government to carry out its constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property of the citizens, despite the huge amount being spent on security.
They called on government to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book and (appropriate) measures are put in place to prevent future occurrences.
The General Assembly meeting was attended by members of ECWA Executives, Board of Trustees, Chairmen, Secretaries and delegates from 94 District Church Councils, including the United States of America, and Heads of Departments and Institutions, among others.
Also, elections were conducted for the Office of the ECWA President, Assistant General Secretary, Treasure and the Trustee Zone 5. Rev. Dr. Job Ayuba Bagat was elected as ECWA President and Rev. Dr. Sunday Congo was elected as Assistant General Secretary to serve for first tenure of three years.
Additionally, Elder Danjuma Haruna along with Rev. Prof. Musa A.B. Gaiya were returned as Treasurer and Trustee Zone 5 to serve for another three and ten years, respectively.