Focus On Job Creation, Cleric Urges Incoming Govt

The Bishop, Diocese of Nike (Anglican Communion) in Enugu State, Rt. Rev. Christian Onyia, has urged the in-coming government at all levels to focus more on job creation in order to stem rising insecurity and terrorism in the country.
Onyia made the call, weekend, while delivering his Bishop’s Charge at the 2nd Session of the 6th Synod of the Diocese taking place at the Church of the Beatitudes, Trans Ekulu, Enugu.
The bishop noted that terrorism and ransom taking might have reduced, “but not because of currency redesign as espoused by the CBN and Federal Government”.
According to him, “the truth is that most of the hoodlums got busy with election activities. Some were engaged as thugs and hit-men, while others travelled to their primary locations either to vote or mobilise for their preferred candidates.
“This, without any doubt, underscores the importance and impact of employment on crime and insecurity reduction. An idle mind, they say, is the devil’s workshop, the same way a hungry man is said to be an angry man.
“Government needs to focus more attention on job creation to engage our teeming jobless youths. It is a better strategy to combat crimes rather than the sums spent on almost failed currency redesign and other frivolous/fictitious government projects and programmes”.
He further noted that “The 2023 Global Terrorism Index ranked Nigeria as the 8th terrorist country in the world with food security, population and water risk as catastrophic threats facing the country.
“The 2023 Global Risks Report also identified terrorist attacks, debt crises, cost-of-living crisis, severe commodity supply crises, rapid and/or sustained inûation, and employment and livelihood crises as the five major risks facing Nigeria”.
Bishop Onyia expressed regret that the 2023 Global Hunger Index ranked Nigeria 103 out of 121 countries, yet, “the President refused to assent the constitutional amendment bills on food security.
“Specifically, the President withhold assent on Bill, Number 65, 2022 (Food Security – Section 16) and a Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to require the Government to Direct its Policy towards ensuring Rights to Food and Food Security in Nigeria.

“As a nation, we need to deploy more resources and attention towards addressing these existential threats to Nigeria and Nigerians”, he stated.

By: Canice Amadi, Enugu