By Richard Thomas, Ibadan
The General Overseer, Save and Serve Christ Family Church, Abanla, area in Ibadan, Bishop Jide Orire has charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do everything possible in his administration to put smiles on the faces of the poor masses in the country.
Bishop Orire gave the charge in a press statement while speaking on the state of the nation in Ibadan.
According to him, it was high time the President did everything possible to put smiles on the faces of the suffering masses, adding that since the emergence of democratic rule in 1999, the people have not benefited from dividends of democracy in the country.
The Bishop, who admonished the President to work on the slogan,
“To Keep Nigeria One Is Task That Must Be Done,” said during the civil war, the slogan then was, “To keep Nigeria as one is a task that must be done.”
“I remember during the civil war, the slogan then was, ” To make Nigerian masses smile again Is a Task That Must Be Done. It was a popular saying among Nigerians then. So, I am urging President Tinubu to work hard to ensure that he put smiles on the faces of the suffering masses with good economic reforms.”
Bishop Orire while commending President Tinubu on the removal of subsidy urged him to take drastic steps to address the sufferings the people are going through occasioned by the hike in the prices of petroleum.
“It is an indisputable fact that the people are really suffering in the country as a result of the hike in petroleum prices. Recently on my journey to Lagos State, I spent over forty thousand naira to buy petrol in my car to and fro, this was a sharp increase from what I used to spend on petrol before the removal of the subsidy, So, I appeal to the president to do something drastically to address the hardship because people are terribly hungry.”
“It must be Nigerians first be Nigeria. Government should open closed boarders and allow rice and other staple food into the country.
Rice farmers should be compensated and given huge sum of money to do something on rice so that the nation can have plenty of the staple food which is widely consumed by Nigerians.”
“If government can subsidize rice and other staple foods, this will address the hardship confronting the masses, he added.
The cleric while commending government for signing the bill which allows states to generate electricity, appealed to government to give the development a speedy attention, saying, as a fish farmer the amount he spends on petrol is outrageous.
Bishop Orire who admonished president Tinubu to work on cash flow under his administration in order to stabilize the economy noted that if there is constant power supply, the effect of subsidy removal will be minimal on Nigerians.
“Though, so many people died during the recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira redesign policy, but crime rate however was reduced during the period because there was not enough cash in the system. Therefore, I urged the president to work on cash flow in order to stabilize the economy and reduce crime rate.”
Bishop Orire called on spirited Nigerians to Join hands with president Tinubu in his quest to revamp the nation’s economy adding that this is the time to preach peace and harmony among all the tribes in the country in order to move the nation forward.
According to him, this is not the time for political and spiritual leaders to utter reckless statement capable of causing religious problems or setting the nation on fire.
He said a situation where one religion is presumed to be better or superior to the other should not be encouraged, adding that there should be religious harmony in the nation.
“On the part of religious leaders instead of prophesies upon prophesies and visions upon visions, they should focus on evangelism and prayers for Nigeria. They should try as much as possible not to put Christianity into shame as a result of prophesy upon prophesy that are not coming to pass.
“We should focus on our primary assignment which is evangelism and prayers in order to help put the country on the right track.
The Bishop while commending President Tinubu for his strides since he assumed office on May 29, 2023 suggested that he include more Igbos in his government in order to accord them priority in the scheme of governance.
He also appealed to government to assist Nigerian youths who have traveled abroad in search of greener pastures financially, adding that many of them sold their property to travel.
