Cleric Wants Urgent Action On Power, Poverty, Insecurity

from All Africa

Vanguard (Lagos)

By Tony Edike
Enugu

PRELATE of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr Ola Makinde, yesterday, charged members of the National Assembly to work in accord with President Umar Yar'Adua so as to bring to an end the crisis in the nation's power sector.

He also asked the Federal Government to tackle the problem of bad roads, poverty, hunger and insecurity as well as the numerous problems in the educational sector.

Dr Makinde who delivered a sermon during a thanksgiving service at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Amechi Awkunanaw, Enugu in honour of former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, noted that former President Olusegun Obasanjo laid a solid foundation upon which the present administration should build upon for rapid development of infrastructure.

He told the Yar'Adua administration to immediately put in motion the strategy to effectively tackle the numerous problems facing the nation with a view to making life more meaningful for all Nigerians, stressing that if the people cannot enjoy better life within the next four years of the present administration then all hopes would have been lost.

"The National Assembly should stand up firmly and work closely with the president to tackle the problem of power failure. You have to fight insecurity, you have to fight poverty; you have to fight bad roads; the bad roads in Nigeria are disgraceful, repair the roads for our people. Give us qualitative education; we didn't vote for you to come and punish us. Make sure that we do not suffer in the midst of plenty again," the Prelate said.

Assembly to desist from unnecessary impeachment of their leaders. "I am not saying corrupt senate president should not be removed, but it must not be done with bitterness and greediness," he counseled.

Dr Makinde who praised the exemplary verdict of the Supreme Court which reinstated Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and his Oyo State counterpart, Rasheed Ladoja, said the judgments were fights against injustice and unnecessary impeachments which greedy politicians executed for their selfish ends.

He urged Christians to venture into politics advising that they should drop their wrong notion that politics was a dirty game, which should be avoided, stressing that since Christians are the light of the world, they should go into governance and clean the "perceived dirtiness" in the system.

The Prelate praised the achievements of Senator Nnamani, urging him to use his wealth of experience as the former number three citizen of the country to help the church and the society. He noted that Nnamani and Chief Pius Anyim were the only senate presidents that were never impeached but honourably left office after their tenure and urged the current Senate President, David Mark to emulate their good leadership qualities.

He, however, advised Senator Nnamani not to quit politics as, according to him, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) award conferred on him was for national service, adding that he should continue to render selfless service to his fatherland.

In his speech, Senate President Mark assured that the senate under his leadership would take the challenges of national development, stressing that necessary attention would be given to the development of specific problems confronting the nation.

He praised Senator Nnamani for successfully piloting the affairs of the upper chambers of the national assembly to greatness, saying under his leadership the senate would be alive to its duties with a view to ensure that the living condition of Nigerians on the streets was made better. "I want to assure Nigerians that this legislature will make a difference after four years. To our critics, you cannot make a change when you are outside, we must come together to effect a change in the polity," he said.

President Yar'Adua represented at the occasion by Minister Designate, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, said Senator Nnamani remains an asset to the nation, stressing that "there is a reward for good service." According to the president, "Ken Nnamani is one of those who have served the nation well," adding that his life would remain useful not only to the church but also to the society.

He said that the country was determined to ensure total transformation of the society, adding that the present government needed people like Senator Nnamani for the transformation.

In his remarks, Governor Sullivan Chime said Senator Nnamani has brought honour to Enugu State, assuring that the state would tap from his wealth of experience as an elder-statesman. He said that "the new Enugu State we are building has its foundation on peace and brotherliness," assuring that his government would carry everybody along in its activities. "Let us not dissipate energy anymore in unnecessary bitterness and bickering rather lets join hands to correct the mistakes of the past," Chime said.