Catholic Bishops of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province has, at its first plenary of 2022, expressed concern at the seemingly endless sit-at-home order in Igboland, every Monday.
This was part of the five-point communiqué, issued by the Catholic Bishops, signed by the Chairman and Secretary, Most Rev. Anthony J. V. Obinna and Most Rev Augustine N. Echema respectively, and made available to newsmen in Owerri.
In the considered opinion of the Bishops: “For sometime now, the people of South East Nigeria, have been forced to sit-at-home on frequent occasions. The situation has become so confusing because some of these orders and counter orders are now being issued and enforced by criminal elements.
“These sit-at-home orders are however, having a devastating effect on the economic and social life of the people, and adversely affecting their means of livelihood.”
Making particular reference to education in the South East geo-political zone, the bishops opined that it took a serious hit.
They said: “Children are kept out of school and learning is carried out under the climate of fear and uncertainty. This status quo cannot be allowed to continue.
“We appeal to the government to fulfill its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property and to initiate avenues of dialogue with agitators. We equally appeal to all those indiscriminately issuing orders, to respect the fundamental human rights of those they seek to protect and fight for.”
The Bishops also lamented the frequency of borrowings by federal and state governments, to finance budget shortfalls, as well as the sit-at-home order.
The Bishops said: “We observe with great concern, the frequency with which the Federal and State Governments resort to taking loans, especially foreign ones, to finance their budget shortfalls.
“At the last count, the Bureau of Statistics in Nigeria has reported that Nigeria currently, is indebted up to the tune of N32 trillion.
“While we recognize the economic need, and sometimes, the necessity of government taking loans, we insist that every responsible Nigerian government must exercise prudence in the borrowing and management of such loans, so as not to mortgage the future of the nation since by and large, loans must be repaid.”
The clerics also lamented that for so long, the problems facing the country, have remained intractable and the solutions farfetched.
They said: “Today in Nigeria, we are witnessing terrible darkness in the shape of unreasonable hatred, wickedness, brutality, and bloodshed.
“With the consequent breakdown and failure of governance across the nation, various militant groups terrorists, and bandits emerged, foisting a state of anxiety and anarchy, on the whole nation.
“Hate and greed-driven violence have thus escalated, leading to the reciprocal mass slaughter of humans, the sacking and burning of homes and settlements, giving rise to many Internally Displaced Persons, IDP. This miserable condition must be addressed before the next elections begin.”
After taking a critical look at the nation’s electoral process, the Catholic Bishops expressed hope that Nigerians have another chance to lay the frameworks for the next electoral process.
In their words: “We are hopeful that the National Assembly and the Presidency, will put aside their differences and come forward with electoral laws that will help us chart a new pathway that will guarantee free, fair and credible general elections.”
