Buhari must take bold steps in 2021, says Catholic Archbishop

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has advised the federal government to take bold steps in 2021 addressing the fears being expressed by citizens.

In his New Year message at the 2021 World Peace Celebration and Media Interaction with the Archbishop at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, Martins said the nation’s leaders need to urgently address the issues by putting in place appropriate measures and policies that would mitigate against the economic challenges that may come with the New Year

The clergy identified sources of fear in the country to include rising insecurity from kidnappings, ritual killings, endemic rape, the ongoing health crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and the challenges from the current economic recession, which has resulted in job losses, collapse of some industries, and mounting poverty, among others.

He noted that the government has a crucial role to play by diligently attending to its constitutional responsibilities without playing unnecessary politics with issues that affect the day-to-day lives of the masses.

Martins said for instance, so many challenges came up in 2020 in various areas, particularly in the economic, health, security and education sectors, adding that the government must make objective appraisals of the situation and take necessary steps to reassure the people that they have a government that cares.

“The onus is now on the federal, state and even the local governments to listen to the people and act speedily to save them from the agonies they have to face daily,” he said.

While calling on the government at all levels to be more humane in their approach to issues of governance in the New Year, he frowned at the renewed spate of insecurity across the country.

He cited the instance of the recent abduction of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Bishop Moses Chikwe, which he described as an act of sacrilege.