As Catholic Bishops Canvass Solution to Nation’s Economic Hardship, Insecurity…

Bishops of the Catholic Church in Nigeria recently gathered in Abuja to deliberate on critical issues affecting the faith and Nigerians in general. The clergymen were full of lamentations over the prevailing economic hardship and insecurity confronting Nigerians. Onyebuchi Ezigbo reports the high points of the Bishops’ conference.

As the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, mounted the rostrum to declare open the first Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria Resource Centre, Durumi, Abuja, he was all lamentations over the current plight of the masses. 

He began by expressing outrage over the situation of things and strongly acknowledging the hardship Nigerians were going through as a result of bad policies and mismanagement of the economy.

He then painted a bleak picture of the current state of the nation, highlighting the problems of insecurity, violence, land grabbing, economic crisis, poverty, and hunger. The cleric, therefore,  called for urgent action from the government and the church to address the numerous challenges and restore hope and dignity to Nigerians.

Ugorji who spoke on the theme: Synod on Synodality: Areas of Concern for the Church in Nigeria as well as on the situation of the country also urged his fellow Bishops to use the opportunity of the plenary assembly to reflect on their pastoral mission and to renew their commitment to evangelization and social justijustice.

The Archbishop picked holes in the government’s reform agenda, which he said has only further worsened the economic hardship, poverty, and inflation for millions of Nigerians. The CBCN president denounced the corruption, extravagance, and insensitivity of many public officials, who have, mindlessly and with impunity, looted the nation’s resources and betrayed the trust of the people. He further lamented the high unemployment rate, which has driven many youths to drugs, crime, migration, and human trafficking. 

He called for a change of attitude and a commitment to social justice from both the government and the church.

The Archbishop of Owerri further expressed the disappointment of CBCN at the rampant violence, kidnapping, and oil theft that threaten the stability and development of the nation and urged government to learn from other countries and to prioritize the security and employment of its citizens. In this regard, he argued that the government needs to overhaul its financial system, prosecute and jail corrupt officials, and restore public trust.

Aside the pains caused by government’s policies, the Archbishop did not mince words about the pain also caused by the document fiducia supplicans (the Vatican’s declaration on the pastoral meaning of blessings) which he described as ambiguous, divisive, and scandalous. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Conference to uphold the Church’s teaching based on Scripture and Tradition, and to resist the influence of secularist ideologies.

At the plenary session, many top personalities including governors, politicians from opposing parties like the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last General Elections, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, Governor Hope Uzodinma, Senator Osita Izunaso, Deputy Governor of Edo state, Philip Shuabu and a host of others graced the occasion.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, who was invited to chair the session used the opportunity to inform the gathering of the latest situation of things regarding the country’s economy.

According to him, despite the apparent gloomy picture of the country’s economy, the future was bright and positive, especially in the light of recent inflow of $1.8 billion.

The positive assessment came as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, said the hardship being experienced by Nigerians would, undoubtedly, lead to a better tomorrow, with drop in the cost of living.

In a Comuniqué issued at the end of the conference, the Bishops expressed solidarity with Nigerian people who are suffering from what they described as seriously deteriorating situation of the nation, especially in the areas of security and economy.

The Bishops after their deliberations, maintained that, the worsening economy has continued to make living hard and difficult for the people who have been subjected to a life of grinding poverty, continuing hunger and untold hardship.

They said the situation was worsened by the high unemployment rate in the country, which has further impoverished and degraded the citizens.

The Bishops also expressed concern over the crisis created by insecurity saying Insecurity has attained yet a higher scale than we had ever seen before in the land. Insurgents, armed herdsmen, bandits, and the so-called unknown gunmen have continued to unleash terror in different parts of the country. Kidnapping for ransom has reached homes and areas where in the pass it was thought impossible.

Additionally, they said: “the result is that many have fled their homes, abandoned their farms, shops, businesses and other sources of livelihood. The number of internally-displaced persons in our country is ever growing. We are making yet another passionate appeal to Government to act immediately to stem the tide. The legitimacy of government depends on its capacity to protect life and property”.

The Bishops said that the worsening economy has continued to make living hard and difficult for the people who have been subjected to a life of grinding poverty, continuing hunger and untold hardship. The situation is worsened by the high unemployment rate in the country, which has further impoverished and degraded our citizens.

The Bishops however acknowledged the efforts of the Federal government in addressing some of the nation’s key economic problems. But they held that some of the reforms and policies seem not to have been properly thought through and as such the outcomes seem to fall short of expectations.

“For instance, while the fuel subsidy removal was meant to help improve government’s revenue which has been the case across the three levels of government, the impact on Nigerians has been debilitating.

Similarly, the clerics noted that the decision to “float the Naira” has had unintended negative and harsh consequences. In the light of this, they urge government to urgently address the increasing disaffection and restiveness spreading across the population, in order to avoid a descent into chaos and anarchy.

In their wisdom, the Catholic Bishops suggested the way forward urging government to do something to promote social cohesion and good governance.

“In view of government’s effort to end insecurity, we recommend that the ongoing discussion about the creation of State Police be carefully studied. Furthermore, government ought to assess the impact of all other already existing security outfit in this regard”.

Given the diminishing purchasing power of the Nigerian currency, and the capacity of agriculture to be the bedrock of the country’s survival, the Bishops urge government to create the necessary and conducive environment that would enable the people to return to their farms.

They also commended government’s decision to transfer some items, such as electricity and railways, from the exclusive list to the concurrent list but advised that this be extended to such other areas of the economy like mining.

These measures,  along with transparency and accountability in governance, according to them, are some of the factors that promote social cohesion.

CBCN enjoined government at all levels to establish small scale industries in the rural areas to increase productivity and reduce unemployment. It would be helpful if such industries are agro based.

“We enjoin government to open up to the contribution of all segments and levels of the Nigerian community, so that together we can face the emergency situation in which we now find ourselves. It is no longer acceptable for our leaders to surround themselves only with their political supporters and cronies”.

The Bishops deliberated on the insecurity. They expressed worry that insecurity has attained yet a higher scale than we had ever seen before in the land. According to them, insurgents, armed herdsmen, bandits, and the so-called unknown gunmen have continued to unleash terror in different parts of the country.

The Bishops did not spare members of their constituency, as they urged religious leaders to promote sincere and genuine godliness and righteousness in their religious communities, upholding among their followership honesty and hard work and condemning corruption in all its forms, in both private and public life. They equally called on the entire Nigerian elite including professionals, business people, and financial operators, many of whom have for long benefited from the corrupt system to repent and change their attitude of greed and selfishness.

In addition, the Bishops agreed that the media play a critical role in nation building and that they have the capacity to inform, enlighten and guide the government and citizens on important matters of governance, citizenship and patriotism.

It was the view of the Bishops that rather than seek to repress or intimidate the media, the government and other relevant authorities should help the media perform their role responsibly and optimally.

“To this end, we recommend that the fundamental rights of media workers be respected. We equally advocate for the responsible use of the mainstream and social media”

 Fiducia Supplicans: Some Clarifications

The Bishops took time to deliberate on the controversial declaration by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Fiducia Supplicans (on the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings) which has generated a lot of controversies. They held that many Episcopal Conferences have taken their position on this document.

The Bishops re-affirmed the age long teaching of the Church on the Sacrament of Marriage as a union between one man and one-woman Code of Canon Law, Canon 1055; Catechism of the Catholic Church, N. 2335.

The Catholic Clerics said: “We reject the reading of the Declaration that suggests that Priests could bless same-sex couples or other couples in irregular situations such as those of polygamists, and the divorce and remarried, in a way that legitimizes such unions.

 “We, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria affirm our loyalty to the teaching of Christ and the Holy Father the Pope. As we have already stated as Conference and as part of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), we reiterate that Priests are not to bless same-sex couples in Nigeria. Homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity which are intrinsically disordered and, above all, contrary to natural law”.