By Olusegun Olanrewaju
Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese has condemned the manner palliatives are being distributed to Nigerians.
This follows a similar call by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, at the weekend, that offering palliatives is not a lasting solution to the economic hardship in the country.
Reacting to the biting hardship facing the country, Kukah said such moves are un-dignifying.
He called on the governments to map out better plans to tackle the nation’s issues.
He made this view known while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
It would be recalled that the floating of the naira and the removal of fuel subsidy have pushed inflation levels to a new high leading to a hike in the cost of living.
As a response to the ensuing economic hardship and worsening hunger, governments across levels have rolled out palliative measures, including the distribution of food items, to the vulnerable as part of moves to cushion the hardship in the country.
However, Kukah said people just want to be able to get back to their lives. He urged the government to end insecurity.
“We need to see a much more robust programme designed by the government to help us go away from just lining up and collecting palliative measures when we are not at war.
“I think it is the height of indignity to see Nigerians lining up every day under the sun and waiting to collect bags of rice which probably never come not because money has not been given but because everybody who gives out money in Nigeria from the Federal Government knows that a good part of this money is always stolen. Nigerians are not looking for handouts.”
*It’s no solution to current hardship, says Diri
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, made the remark when he spoke during the Easter Sunday service at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in his community, Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The governor said even though he was not against palliatives, he was more concerned with putting in place the right structures and systems to address the economic challenges.
He said his administration was initiating policies and programmes that would bring about long-term empowerment to people of the state rather than short-term palliatives.
According to him, the government was tackling manpower shortage and the skills challenge by establishing technical colleges in the eight LGAs, embarking on skills acquisition programmes, building roads to connect the hinterlands as well as other infrastructure that would bring socio-economic empowerment to the people.
The governor also explained that the government alone cannot provide for everyone and called on the people to get involved in businesses and other meaningful ventures toward adding value to their lives and the state.
He said: “There is nowhere in the world that the government does everything for you. Let us get involved in businesses. Take advantage of our skills acquisition programmes and that way you will add value to yourselves and Bayelsa State. That way youths will become productive.”
On the significance of the Easter celebration, Diri urged the people to learn from the lessons of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot and that of the doubting Thomas Didymus in the scripture.
He advised that Christians should imbibe the virtues of trust, honesty, and faithfulness to have a better society.
In a sermon, the Bishop of Northern Izon Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt Rev. Funkuro Amgbare, said the power in the resurrection of Jesus Christ brought about salvation for Christians.
Amgbare, who urged the clergy to always uphold the truth and propagate the gospel, decried the moral decadence in the church and emphasised the need to reverse the trend.
Diri read the first and only lesson at the service, taken from the book of John 20:1-18.
