Nigerians are suffering untold hardship with no viable opposition that can challenge the government on policies that are hitting citizens hard, a Methodist Bishop and proprietor of the Vision Africa Radio has said.
Addressing the press on the state of the nation on Monday in Aba, Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha lamented that ”The high cost of living in Nigeria is painful, the federal government must do something.
“There is hunger in the land; there is pain in the land. I am not blaming any person, it is a collective responsibility. The National Assembly must be up and doing. The Nigeria Labour Congress is acting like a lame dog. We want a Nigeria Labour Congress that will hold the Nigerian government accountable. No matter whoever is in government, is immaterial”.
According to him, “We want a strong opposition. It appears that oppositions are not being strong. It appears that they are getting weak. It is not everybody that will be in government. What makes a system work is when “A” is in government “B” will be holding him accountable. That is how this goes and that is why American democracy is very strong”.
Commenting on more of the issues that bestowed hardship on Nigerians, the removal of fuel subsidy, the Bishop noted, “My problem with removal of fuel subsidy is that government did not make adequate provision before they removed the subsidy and that greatly hit Nigerians very hard. Was it ok to remove that oil subsidy? My problem is that I don’t know who is subsidizing it”.
Continuing, the Methodist clergy also commented on the Nigeria legal system, saying “I believe in the legal system of Nigeria. I may not believe in some of the outcome of our legal system, but the legal system is very strong, very powerful and we should celebrate it. However, some of the outcomes may not be palatable to some people.
“There is nothing that happens that some people will not laugh and some will cry. So, whatever is the outcome of the legal system, Nigerians are celebrating and some others are not happy”.
Bishop Onuoha who took the opportunity to talk on the purported sack of Abia workers by the present administration of Gov. Alex Otti in Abia State, expressed his opinion thus: “There is the rule of law. I trust the government to go by the rules of civil service. If he (Gov. Alex Otti) has not broken the rules of the civil service, then I don’t have any problem with him”.
Nigerians, he said are crying and asking all the powers that be in Nigeria to ease their sufferings adding “God is asking them, let my people go and they are not listening. Nigerians are crying as the cost of food is high. The cost of food has escalated. Now is the time for children to go back to school, but there is no money. Parents are crying.
“I am very optimistic about this country. I see that God will do something about this nation. Nigerians should not lose hope. We should begin to celebrate that God has not abandoned us and the God I know will not leave Nigerians alone.
“We should celebrate one good thing God has done, that we are still one country. We have a legal system, we have security. People still go about their normal business. No matter how porous the system is, God has not abandoned Nigeria.
“Like Pharoah was forced to let the children of Israel go, so should it be for suffering Nigerians. God will very soon let his people be freed”.
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