Tackle Insecurity, Hunger To Avoid Revolution, Bishop Tells Buhari
The Bishop Enugu Province of the Anglican Communion, Emmanuel Chukwuma, has asked the Federal Government to address growing insecurity and hunger pervading the country to avoid a revolution.
Speaking in Enugu shortly after being conferred with ‘Grand Ambassador of Peace’ award by the Global Society for Anti-Corruption (GSAC) at the weekend, Chukwuma stated that unless something urgent was done to address the sufferings of the people this year, the #EndSARS protests that rocked the nation last year would be child’s play to what could happen.
He stated that Nigerians have become tired of killings, banditry, hunger, and other vices, stressing that the government must address the anomalies to gain citizens’ confidence.
Country Director of GSAC, Mrs. Amaka Nweke, said the award was in recognition of the bishop’s peace efforts in the country through his activities, urging other Nigerians to continue to preach peace for the country’s survival and development.
Chukwuma, who stated that it might be difficult to contain another youth uprising in the country, insisted that the government could not continue to carry on as if the people were not their primary responsibility.
He said: “We expect that things should be better for the people after all the turmoil of 2020 – the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, the #EndSARS protests among others – that challenged the unity of the country. There is nothing better to ask for excerpt better governance where justice, equity and peace reign; corruption eradicated and a better economy for all and sundry.
“The people are tired of inflation, unemployment, epileptic power supply, and budgets that do not make the needed impact.”
According to him, if there is no deliberate effort to address the challenges, there could be a revolution that might not be controlled, as the people would no longer endure the hardship.
“We have suffered enough and the government should know that time has come for them to do things that will benefit the people.
“We have called for the removal of the service chiefs and something should be done about it in the new year; falling which Nigerians will begin to believe that the President has a hidden agenda,” he added.
Expressing surprise at the award, the cleric stressed the need for peace in the country to engender development.
He promised to continue doing his best to protect the less-privileged, adding that when equity, justice, and fairness were upheld, peace would naturally take place.
