The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has expressed concern over the level of environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region owing to oil explorations in the area and called on the Federal Government to take immediate steps to curb the activities of illegal refineries in the region.
The Church also called for the establishment of a National Truth, Peace and Reconciliation Commission to make concerted effort to reconcile all the antagonising groups in the country to check the rising cases of insecurity and agitations in the country.
The calls were contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting Standing Committee of the Church hosted by the Diocese of Evo at All Saints’ Cathedral, Rumuokwurusi and St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Rumuobiokani in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State from February 21 to 25.
The meeting, presided over by the Primate, Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, had the theme: ‘The Christian’s Dual Citizenship and   Responsibilities’ (Matthew 22:20-22) and had in attendance 161 Bishops, 151 Clergy and 94 Lay delegates.
In the communique signed by the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba; the Dean of the Church, Most Rev’d Ali Lamido; and the General Secretary, Ven. Gershinen Dajur and presented yesterday, the church also called on the government to set up modular refineries in the Niger Delta region to harness the potentials of people involved in the illegal oil refining business.
The Standing Committee commended the Federal Government for suspending the further removal of oil subsidy which would have worsened the level of poverty in the land, and encouraged the Government to show greater commitment towards rehabilitating the moribund oil refineries in the country.
It further called on related Government agencies to exercise due diligence in monitoring the importation of oil and oil related products so as to avert the importation of adulterated products into the country as was recently experienced.
It also said the National Truth, Peace and Reconciliation Commission has become necessary because of the rising cases of violence and utter disregard to the sanctity of human life in the country.
On national security, the Church noted that insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and all manners of criminality continue to bedevil the country, adding that “The insincerity of purpose exhibited by the Government in many instances have provided a thriving platform for criminal activities to destroy the lives and properties of the innocent in our country”.
It therefore called on Government to increase its effort at stemming the tide of insecurity in the nation as “the lives of Nigerians, irrespective of religion, tribe or class, matter to God”.
It also said it was disturbed by the ongoing one-month warning industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), with the lecturers consistently accusing Government of failure to keep to the terms of agreement in the past. It then called on Government to give urgent and holistic attention to the agitations in order to avert the myriad of inevitable future consequences of a destroyed educational system.
On the 2023 General Elections, the Standing Committee called on the citizenry to pray and be actively involved in working towards a peaceful electioneering process while urging the Government to ensure non-interference in the affairs of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at all levels, and provide a level playing ground for all the parties including the electorate.
On infrastructural development and transportation,  the Standing Committee said it appreciated the “efforts and actions of the Federal and State Governments in infrastructural development, but calls on the relevant authorities to work on the road leading into Port Harcourt, as it does not befit this oil rich State”.
On the on-going Russia/Ukraine Conflict, the Standing Committee noted with concern the situation, and called on the Federal Government to urgently commence the process of evacuation of Nigerians in Russian and Ukraine as the war between world powers in the Eastern European country escalates.

By: Ernest Chinwo