THE bishop of the Diocese of Awori, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Right Reverend Akin Atere, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to ease the pains of Nigerians.
He stated this last Friday during the bishop’s charge delivered at the second session of the fifth synod at the Cathedral Church of St. James, Ipate-Oyinbo, Ota, Ogun State.
Atere also appreciated the efforts of the president, saying, “Tinubu in the past year as the president, no doubt, has taken some giant stride, even though, most of them are too painful.
He said it was quite unfortunate that Nigeria’s successive governments have plunged the nation into avoidable economic hardship, the living standard of many Nigerians, instead of improving, has gradually deteriorated below the poverty level.
According to him, today, every community in the Nigeria market is beyond the reach of the average Nigerian. A situation in which more than 120 million Nigerians out of a population of 220 million are wallowing in abject poverty in abundant human and mineral resources, is shameful and unacceptable.
“It is a curious paradox, that Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer (until recently lost it to Angola due to the crises in the Niger Delta) and a country which used to enjoy the biggest economy at the same time has one of the highest level of poverty in the continent.
“From my findings, I have discovered the roots of some of our problems. The Economic and development experts have attributed this anomaly to the uneven distribution of wealth brought about by a dysfunctional economic and social system. Invariably, as GDP grows, the rich continue to get richer and the poor poorer,” he lamented.
The cleric also noted that corruption is another significant root cause of Nigeria’s problems, noting that corruption is pervasive at all levels of society in Nigeria, from government officials to business leaders to ordinary citizens.
He said the culture of corruption undermines the rule of law, erodes public trust in institutions, and diverts resources away from essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
“The prevalence of corruption has also contributed to economic stagnation, as it deters foreign investment and hampers economic growth.”
Atere commended the Ogun State government on the education sector, as they have made significant progress in improving the quality of education.
He noted that the government has invested in the renovation and construction of schools, providing a conducive learning environment for students.
“The government has implemented policies to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in schools. Be that as it may, the mission and some private schools returned to their original owners, we have been waiting for the government of Ogun State under Prince Dapo Abiodun to say his mind and let us settle the matter, we are still waiting for a response to our agitation,” he added.
He called for improvement in healthcare services which has been a priority for the Ogun State government.
“The government has renovated and equipped healthcare facilities, ensuring that residents have access to quality healthcare services. In addition, the government has implemented healthcare programs to address public health challenges and improve healthcare delivery.
“We charge the government to recruit more healthcare personnel and invest more in our hospitals and primary healthcare centres. The welfare of our medical professionals and personnel be a priority,” he said.
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