Subsidy removal: Methodist prelate wants moribund industries revived as palliatives
By Bridget Ikyado
The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Oliver Aba has again, urged the Federal Government to revive ailing industries in the country as against sharing rice and money as palliatives.
Aba made the call on Sunday in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of an award ceremony for 78 outstanding members of the church in recognition of their service.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 56 members were raised to Knights of John Wesley (KJW) while four members were raised to Knight of Charles Wesley.
11 members were also conferred with the Order of the Wesleys(OOW) while seven were conferred with the Member of the Order of the Wesleys (MOW)
The prelate said that rather than sharing monies and food items families across the country, reviving moribund industries will create employment for the teaming population.
“I would have loved the government to change their mind and begin to think about reviving the ailing industries so that there will be job opportunities for our teaming population.
“A bag of rice and N800 to a family, what will that do? Do you know the cost of transportation these days? Let’s not deceive ourselves let’s go back to the drawing board You know somebody said Don’t give me fish. Teach me how to fish it will be better,” he said.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the Methodist Conference, Archbishop Taiwo Babatunde said that the awardees had been given a task to defend the church.
He said that it was the culture of the church to take people with proven integrity, strong religious and moral value and people who have supported the church and make them knights.
“I believe they are going to go back again to impact what methodism is all about; the principle of discipline, hard work, perseverance.
“Methodist believes in equity, fairness and justice. And I believe these people that you have seen today been decorated by our church, they are people that we can vouch for.
“There are people that have clean record. There are people that are willing to turn this whole nation to a better nation,” he said.
Some of the awardees who spoke to newsmen said that they were grateful for the honour saying that it will spur them to do better.
The Accountant-General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein said that the award would further spur her to drive the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the financial sector.
She said that accountability, transparency and probity is what the government really needed at this time to make the difference Tinubu is trying to achieve.
“The OAGF is out to ensure financial stability, all that it takes to run the public finance management of the country is based on leverages an accountability,” she said.
Also, the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Walter Onnoghen said that defending the church and fellow humans against corruption was in life with his life profession.
He said that it was inborn in h and he would continue to serve the church and society in any capacity possible.
Sir Ohaeri Osondu who was raised to the Knight of John Wesley said he was humbled by the elevation.
“I feel humbled because I started as a secretary at the youth level, then I stepped up to the choirs then I was president of one or two organisations.
So that was what God used to put me in this level and I feel very fulfilled and I thank God for the church for choosing me for this honor,” he said. (NAN)