According to him, the present government has had to make some policy decisions that have had the effect of creating more pain for people and so, the government at all levels must show that it is listening to the protesters by making measurable commitments to cutting down on the cost of governance, even if it means cutting down on the number of political appointees and pruning down on their salaries and emoluments.
In addition to acknowledging that there are multiple forms of poverty and hunger in the nation, Alfred Adewale Martins, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, has encouraged the Federal Government to enact policies that are focused on the needs of the public.
The Archbishop emphasized the importance of good governance at all levels and urged political leaders at all levels of government to immediately address the country’s endemic hunger, which he characterized as the primary cause of the ongoing protests.
In order to reduce inflation and raise the standard of living for Nigerians, he urged governments at all levels to start producing a lot more food and to strengthen the naira.
The Catholic Archbishop stated this in a statement signed by the Director of Social Communications, Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu.
According to him, the present government has had to make some policy decisions that have had the effect of creating more pain for people and so, the government at all levels must show that it is listening to the protesters by making measurable commitments to cutting down on the cost of governance, even if it means cutting down on the number of political appointees and pruning down on their salaries and emoluments.
In his words: “There is no doubt that there is a lot of hunger in the land, people are falling sick and dying out of poverty and inability to buy medicines and pay hospital bills. They have difficulty paying the school fees of their children and the cost of food and electricity is constantly on the rise.
“The government must commit to abandoning projects and travel that do not contribute in any direct way to the welfare of people, especially in the light of the sacrifices that people are being asked to make for the future of the nation. People want to see their leaders taking the lead in making sacrifices and I believe that some of such gestures will assuage the anger in the land.”