2024 Second Plenary Assembly of the CBCN held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Auchi, Edo State.
By Jethro Ibileke
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has called for the return of the regional system of government to checkmate corruption and put the nation on the right footing.
Ugorgi who is the Archbishop of Owerri, made the call while delivering his welcome address at the opening session of the 2024 Second Plenary Assembly of the CBCN held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Auchi, Edo State.
He noted that the need to return to the regional system of government becomes imperative because the problems in the country have gone beyond mere economic reforms and that the present system of government seems no longer working.
He said: “The socio-economic problems of our nation are unmistakably beyond what economic reforms alone can effectively resolve, no matter how well thought-out and how meticulously implemented.
“When all is said and done, we must admit that the cost of running our military-imposed presidential system of government with so many elected officials assisted by numerous support staff is staggering and unsustainable.
“We must also acknowledge that the corruption level of many Nigerian politicians has gone beyond scale and measure and that controlling our national resources at the federal government level creates more opportunities for corruption to flourish.
“Having experimented on the presidential system of government for over 25 years and having groped in the dark in search of solutions to our socio-economic problems now seems to be the opportune time to heed the advice of some of our best minds canvassing for our return to the former regional system of government as envisage by the wise founding fathers of our nation or devolve power to the present six geo-political zones.”
Ugorji said that while the Bishops acknowledged feats enumerated by President Bola Tinubu in his 4th of August speech, they cannot fail to admit that the present state of the nation is worrisome.
He listed the numerous problems bedevilling the nation, such as the increased debt burden of a $2.25 billion loan facility from the World Bank in June 2024 with a repayment period of 40 years which increases Nigeria’s public debt stock by 2.46 per cent to $93.7 billion, multiple taxation, hunger and hardship induced by insecurity, adding that proactive steps must be taken urgently to address the situation before it snowballs into a huge crisis. He called on President Bola Tinubu to revisit his economic policies noting that Nigerians are no longer at ease with them noting that they have caused Nigerians more harm than good.
Earlier in a homily he delivered, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Dunia, Bishop of Auchi Diocese, called on those in authority not to lord it over those whom they have been called to serve.
He also said that leaders must know that they are duty-bound to respect those in authority because God has placed them there to lead.
Fr. Dunia said banditry, corruption, and bad governance can come to an end through fasting and prayers.
He said the insinuation that God has stopped hearing the prayers of His people is wrong, saying He hears but that Nigerians have to pray more.
He said the Bishops are in Auchi to pray for the country and that they believe that God in His infinite mercies will turn the fortune of the country around for good.