Etaghene Edirin
6 November 2009
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on the Federal Government to shelve any thought of deregulating the downstream sector of the oil industry and concentrate more on building infrastructure that would aid transportation in the country.
Rising from its last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting for 2009 in Lagos, the PFN stated that the idea of deregulation in itself was not a bad idea, but noted that it would create more hardship for Nigerians who are already feeling the pains of bad economy.
National President PFN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor who addressed newsmen after the meeting said t Nigeria was not ready to implement the deregulation policy and called on government to put it aside.
He stated that before such a policy is implemented, government needs to ensure that the roads are fixed, the railway system rehabilitated and water transportation developed to ensure easy movement of people and goods, especially agricultural items.
Oritsejafor called on government to also discuss with stakeholders in the industry before deciding on how to go about the issue.
He also called on the government to diversify the nation's means of revenue by concentrating less on oil and gas and more on other resources such as agriculture and ensure that farmers are given the necessary incentives needed to develop that sector of the economy. This is as he advised that cassava can be a good foreign exchange earner if adequate investment is made in that area.
On the nation's energy sector and electricity supply, the PFN noted that no nation can have a good economy without adequate supply of power. The association also called on government to explore other means of energy generation, which it said is the present trend in other parts of the world.
Oritsejafor while lamenting the poor state of the nation stated that the church is deeply troubled by this and is praying that God will kill anyone who refuses to change from any evil ways which contributes to the poor state of affairs of the country's economy.
According to the PFN, there is a need to restructure the country's political structure to make it possible for credible and genuine Nigerians to occupy elective positions.
On the health sector, he lamented that many Nigerians are dying needlessly from avoidable illnesses and poor state of facilities in the nation's hospitals, and called on government to make a law that will prohibit certain class of public officials from traveling outside the country for medical treatment.
While commending President Musa Yar'Adua for the amnesty granted militants in the Niger Delta region the PFN leader however cautioned that there was a need to explore the peaceful window offered by the amnesty deal which may last for about six months to quickly move in and ensure the rapid development of that region.
He also said it is the wish of the church that government put in place a programme to ensure that militants who have laid down their arms are fully rehabilitated and reintegrated into the society to contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities and the nation.
Oritsejafor who stated that the church is the conscience of the nation said it will be terrible for it to keep silent at a time like this.
He lamented the state of insecurity in the country noting that even clergymen are not spared by kidnappers who even kidnap victims from church premises.
While calling on government to come up with a plan to tackle the menace of kidnappers, the PFN president said for government should take a critical look at the police force to ensure that they are well catered for in terms of remuneration and equipment to tackle the kidnappers and other criminals.
PFN also called on the government to address the incessant strike by lecturers in the nation's higher institutions by setting up a committee of dedicated Nigerians who will not be paid to examine the crisis and proffer solutions which government should be willing to implement.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Champion. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
