More Cost Saving Measures Needed to Salvage Economy, Says Pastor Ekwueme

*Says abandoned youths fueling crime

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Apostolic Lead, Revival House of Glory International Church (RHOGIC), Apostle Goodheart Obi Ekwueme has asked federal and state governments to adopt proven cost saving strategies that will reduce the high governance cost in the country.
He said that such measures were urgently needed in order to salvage ailing economy and reduce the hardship in the land.
He gave the advice when he addressed journalists in Abuja yesterday on the upcoming Revival International Conference – (RIHOGIC-2024), scheduled to hold later in the month.
Apostle Obi Ekwueme who is the eldest son of late former Vice President of Nigeria, said there was need for government leaders to submit to measures that will convince the people that they were willing to sacrifice to lift the country out of the bad economic situation.
Apostle Ekwueme who said that if he were to be president of Nigeria, he would probably change the country for the better, said there was need for a change of approach in governance.
He said the surge of crime, insecurity and ethno-religious fights the country is facing now is being driven by the arms of children not in school, adding that many children have been abandoned to determine right from wrong by themselves.
” Many more, simply amplifying the wrong values that the older generations have modelled to them. Now, some even boast their poor choices on social media. At the same time, the unprecedented and unabating fall in the value of the Naira has sounded despondency for many and some of our brightest youth are abandoning this great country, choosing a sub-par existence in foreign lands instead. Rising food and fuel prices add to the hurt and desperation in the land and if men express hunger as anger, then imagine what happens when you add desperation to the mix,” he said
Apostle Ekwueme however declared that the nation has been a product of God’s miracle and will definitely overcome present challenges.
“Definitely I am a Nigerian and my blood pumps to see a nation truly on a pathway to recovery. Nigeria as it is today is a miracle and as it is currently is in desperate need of a miracle. Miracle has sustained us thus far but we need a miracle to move to the next level,” he said.
On the way to handle the economic challenges facing the country, Ekwueme said: ” I believe that one of the places to start with is for Nigerians to become one at heart, united in our focus as to what we want as citizenry and pursue it at all cost. Looking at our present government, a lot can be advised but I want to start by advising in a very strong terms that the government of the day must begin somewhere, that is to begin to show a sense of willingness to sacrifice.
“Whatever it takes to run the government today is obviously very large comparative to our income base and comparative to what we need as a nation. I would think that anyone who is leadership will want to sacrifice for the people you lead to see and for them to become better.
“My first phase of advice to this government is to look at the ways to cut down on axcesses from where we are now. Let the timing belt begin from those who are in government and that will be a good sign of leadership,” he said.
Speaking on the seven years journey of his apostleship, the clergyman said the mission has just started to manifest its work, adding that Church has been in the trenches in the past seven years engaging in soul-searching and eagerly anticipating where God is taking the ship to.
Speaking on some of the milestones attained by the church, Ekwueme said God had enabled him in the last 7 years, to create channels and platforms like ‘The Gathering’ – RHOGIC’s national altar of worship and prayer to God on behalf of Nigeria and several participating nations”.
He said: ” If you look at the logo of the conference – ” Breakforth 2024″, this is our prophetic year of release. This means that by this time we are more enabled by God, equiped by God to affect the whole world, our immediate community – Wuye, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),, Abuja, North Central, Nigeria and the world,” .
While recounting some of the community works carried out by the church within its seven years of existence through its Outreach programme – “I Care”, one of the Pastors in the church, Pastor Kenny said that it had impacted positively in the lives of persons living with disability in the Kalamagigi community in the FCT.
He said that the church had also made some interventions in the area of erecting toilet facilities, providing water supply and medical outreaches to markets in many communities in the FCT.
For instance, he said that the church had helped to provide a medical facility in the Dakybui community. In addition, he said that the church had built classroom blocks for primary school pupils in the Karmagigi area of Abuja. According to the Pastor, the church has also offered assistance to orphanages through its foundation.