The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria; Bishop Francis Wale Oke has appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and allow the government more time to take necessary actions to fix the nation.
He stated this during a State of the Nation press briefing after the National Advisory/ National Executives Council Meeting of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) held on Tuesday at the PFN headquarters in Lagos.
He said, ” We are part of the grassroot.We know the suffering the common man is passing through right now in Nigeria. We feel the pain. But the pain will not last long. Nigeria will break forth. A new Nigeria will be reborn. Please,let us wait, hope and pray a bit longer. It is good to express our feelings, but please, let it not be in a violent manner. It is true that prices of items have skyrocketed. It is a global problem. The only thing in Nigeria is that wage has remained stagnant. It is not commensurate with the surge in prices. It is a huge problem but it will be resolved”
He explained further that, Besides this, there are a whole lot of other issues. We appeal to everyone concerned to let the intervention by Dangote Refinery work since it will impact positively on our economy and the lifestyle of the people”.
He also called on the government to activate all moribund companies like Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mills and others to create jobs for the Nigerian youths and stimulate the economy. “Nigerian youths are not lazy” he said, “but Government needs to create a conducive environment to make them thrive and be productive. After all, they shine in all spheres of life endeavors outside this country”.
He expressed sadness at the continuous devaluation of the naira. He said, ” Currency devaluation devalues peoples’ lives and this is not right. I cannot imagine that in my life time that N1,000 will ever be equivalent to $1. I have lived in a time when Dollar and Pound were at par with the Naira. Government must do something about it”.
He also commented on the nationwide protest that rocked parts of the country recently. ” When people are pushed to the wall and are frustrated, there is bound to be a reaction.That is why the polity protested. Government should not make scapegoat of anybody rather it should move fast to proffer solutions to calm peoples’ nerves.”
Speaking in the same vein, the Deputy National President; Archbishop John Praise said everything falls on the shoulders of the leadership, so Nigerian government should sit up. He said,” In Rwanda,the President has been voted in for the fourth time because the people are happy with him.Everybody can see appreciable improvement in the lifestyle of the people”.
In his comment, the National Secretary, Dr Cosmas Ilechukwu begged the government to bridge the gap between the humongous take home pay of political office holders and ordinary Nigerians. He said, ” tell the government to halt the circle that has been set in motion wherein the peoples’ lives are being devalued and impoverished. Nigeria has all what it takes to be a great nation, with the masses living in affluence if the nation’s resources are properly managed”.
