Akunyili Bags Anglican Diocese Excellence Award

The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, on Monday bagged the Nsukka Anglican Diocese Award of Excellence for 2010.

Presenting the award during the diocese’s sixth synod at St Thomas Anglican Church, Aku, in Igboetiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev Aloysius Agbo, said Akunyili was given the award in recognition of her numerous achievements as the director general of NAFDAC and as a minister.

“She is not a member of the Anglican Church but she has the heart of Anglican in her numerous achievements that sanitised the drugs sector,’’ Agbo said.

He urged public office holders, especially women, to emulate the good examples of the minister in exhibiting transparency, hard work, selfless service and the fear of God in their positions of trust.

“Akunyili’s track records are wonderful and worthy of emulation by all Christians,” he said.

The bishop in his presidential address titled “Equipping the Saint” urged Christians to always look upon Jesus Christ as the Alpha and Omega and avoid following “fake fetish miracle workers who established churches to satisfy their selfish interests.

“Those who use the name of the church to commit atrocities will get their evil reward here and hereafter,” he said

He commended Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State for the solid road works in the state capital and other infrastructure provided by his administration

The bishop urged the governor to revoke road contracts awarded in the Nsukka area because of the shoddy jobs by contractors.

“The roads executed by contractors in Nsukka area are disgraceful and a mockery of the state government,” he said.

He applauded President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment in ensuring that every vote counted in the 2011 general elections by ensuring that INEC was equipped to carry out its assignment.

Agbo said that for the country to move forward, the problems of unemployment, insecurity, bribery and corruption by political office holders should be addressed.

“From what we are seeing today, it appears that corrupt office holders are more than those who are committed to render selfless service,” he said.

In a remark, Akunyili urged the church to ensure full participation of their members in the forthcoming voter registration, stressing that massive registration would help to achieve credible election in 2011.

“The church should help to ensure that credible people are elected in 2011. Nigerians are good people; it is unfortunate that bribery and corruption were imported to the country.

“Nigerians before are known as the best people among the comity of nations,” she said.

She urged Nigerians to join in the re-branding campaign as a way of restoring the country’s good image.

The Arch-bishop of Enugu Anglican Province, Dr Amos Madu, and Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of Enugu Diocese were among the several dignitaries who graced the occasion.