The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has asked President Bola Tinubu’s government to give account of the savings from fuel subsidy removal in the first nine months of his administration.
The clerics questioned the lack of operational refineries despite spending huge amount of money in turnaround maintenance which had led to continued reliance on fuel importation.
The bishops described the government’s efforts to address the mountainous issues, as “counterproductive” and a “therapy worse than the disease.”
Speaking through the president of CBCN, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, during the opening session of the 2024 First Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday, the bishops described the current situation in the country, as the “worst of times” in its history.
Archbishop Ugorji accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of mortgaging the future of Nigerians yet unborn with unmitigated borrowing without showing what they are used for.
He said, “In withdrawing the fuel subsidy, the government assured Nigerians it would save a lot of money to be injected into other national development sectors.
“Rather than give evidence of money so far saved from the withdrawal of subsidies for which Nigerians are being afflicted with untold hardship, all we hear is the government’s accumulation of more and more foreign debt to balance its budgetary deficit, thereby mortgaging the future of our nation and generations yet unborn.
The bishops also called on the government to prioritize the security and welfare of the citizens, and to take urgent steps to address the growing insecurity in the country.
They urged the government to be more transparent in its handling of public funds and to be accountable to the people.
The bishops also emphasized the need for unity and solidarity among Nigerians, regardless of religious or ethnic differences, in order to overcome the current challenges facing the nation.
In conclusion, Archbishop Ugorji called on all Nigerians to continue to pray for peace and stability in the country, and to work together towards building a better and more prosperous Nigeria for all its citizens.