The Anglican Church Nigeria has warned Abia state governor, Alex Otti against the massive layoff of civil servants in the state.
The Church stated that the layoff of civil servants in the state has worsened hardship in the society and fueled unemployment and social vices in the state.
Advising the governor to implement his campaign promises and revisit the layoff of workers; the church, however, explained that it does not support the last-minute mass employment made by the outgone administration in the state.
The was contained in a communiqué issued after the 3rd session of its 17th synod in Aba, signed by the Bishop of Aba Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Reverend Christian Ugwuzo and the clerical synod secretary, Venerable Innocent Ogbonna.
The church urged the state government to explore opportunities for development in areas like building modular refineries in oil-producing areas of the state, establishing air and sea ports, promoting tourism and local industrialization in order to boost the economy, create employment opportunities, and generally improve the lives of residents.
The Synod constituted by 12 Bishops, 147 clergymen, and 203 members of the house of laity who also participated in the activities marking the golden jubilee anniversary of the Diocese, decried the abrupt removal of the petroleum subsidy without adequate preparation to cushion its devastating effects on the economy and the lives of the citizens.
The communiqué read,
“The Synod frowns at the massive lay-off of civil servants within the state which worsens the hardship in the society and fuels all vices associated with unemployment.
“While not applauding the last-minute mass employment by outgoing administrations, the Synod however urges the government to revisit this decision. The synod frowns at the abrupt removal of the petroleum subsidy without adequate preparation to cushion its devastating effects on the economy and the lives of the citizens.
“The Synod urges the present government in Abia State to explore opportunities for development in such areas as building modular refineries in oil-producing areas of the state, establishing air and sea ports, promoting tourism and local industrialization in order to boost the economy, create employment opportunities and generally improve the lives of Abians and other residents.”
The church also lamented that the bad state of most roads in Aba has adversely affected businesses, increased hardship, health hazards as well and insecurity in the city and urged the federal and state governments to declare a state of emergency on roads in Aba.
It also stated,
“Given the station of Aba as an outstanding commercial nerve centre in the South East, the protracted dilapidation of most roads in the city strangulates business life, increases hardship in the land, stalls development, exposes the citizens to untold health hazards and scares away industrialists thus occasioning unemployment, armed robbery and all manner of insecurity in the town and its environs.
“The Synod therefore calls on all tiers of government to urgently declare a state of emergency on the road network in Abia, especially Port Harcourt, Ohanku, Obohia, and other roads in Aba and its environs.
“The Synod unequivocally condemns the government’s ever-increasing trajectory of borrowing and the high debt profile which portends great economic danger for the present and upcoming generations in Nigeria.
“The Synod bewails the incessant industrial actions in our tertiary Institutions, hike in tuition, and procurement of other academic materials including accommodation and therefore calls for an urgent intervention of the Federal government in the educational sector.”
It further condemned the increasing use of illicit drugs in society and the attendant danger it portends to future generations and calls on all and sundry to join the crusade against all forms of substance abuse.
The synod urged Nigerians not to be disillusioned by the outcome of the 2023 general elections but to have faith in God and live a Christ-centred life.
