Sam Eyoboka
8 November 2009
Lagos — METHODIST Church, Sunday, joined the league of eminent Nigerians who are cautioning the Federal Government against its proposal to deregulate the downstream sector of the oil industry, saying it will be counter-productive.
Addressing newsmen at the end of consecration and investiture of bishops, archbishops in Lagos, the Prelate Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Sunday Ola Makinde said the church was opposed to deregulation.
According to him, the move at this time of the nation's economic crisis will bring further hardship to the millions of already impoverished Nigerians, stressing that if the government deregulate, then they must begin by paying living wages to Nigerian civil servants.
"We oppose deregulation in all its ramifications," Makinde said, adding that the Yar'Adua administration should have a rethink in the interest of the suffering masses of the country, who definitely will bear the brunt of any increase in fuel prices.
The Prelate also used the occasion to appeal to the repentant Niger Delta militants who were reported to have turned their back on the Federal Government initiative, saying that the government was foot-dragging on the crucial issues affecting the Niger Delta region.
The cleric appealed to the erstwhile militants to give the government a chance to make good its promises to the region and allow the amnesty programme to work, pointing out that "it is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war."
In the opinion of the Prelate, the government amnesty initiative remains the best option to peace in the region, "and I will not hesitate to urge the militants to go back to the negotiating table to fashion out a way forward for the region."
Speaking on the significance of consecrating six new bishops, investiture of five new archbishops, and the induction of 16 lay presidents, Makinde said: "You will agree with me that the bane of the nation's socio-political development is quality leadership at all levels. So, we have dedicated these leaders to go into the world and show the nation what exemplary leadership is like."
"I can assure that if the nation's leaders can take a cue from the Church in Nigeria, there will not be so much crisis in all sphere of the nation's life," he said, adding that without the Church there cannot be Nigeria and without the nation there cannot be the Church."
Speaking earlier, the Conference Secretary, Rt Rev. Rapheal Opoko also opposed the plan to deregulate the oil sector, stating that the nation's economic planners, who he described as narrow minded, should be held responsible for the current state of affairs.
He therefore urged President Yar'Adua to quickly jettison what he described as 'counsel of Ahitophel' and put adequate mechanism in place to cushion the effect of deregulation before contemplating the action which will increase the woes of the nation's masses.
"One cannot comprehend why several years after the discovery of oil in commercial quantity, gas is still being flared in the nation with of the nation's economic planners finding a lasting solution to that monumental waste of resources.
"Why should we deregulate? Who will benefit from the proceeds of deregulation?" Opoko asked, pointing out that people are kidnapping and committing other social crimes because there is hardship in the land and these people are desperate the eke a living for themselves.
"Let them give us light. Nigerians are looking for water to drink and they can't get and those who can dig boreholes are daily being taxed for the water. Industries are closing down and countless number of Nigerians are being retrenched as a result.
"The least President Yar'Adua can do for this nation is to seek the face of God and turn away fast from the counsel of Ahitophel which will blow this nation any good," Opoko stated.
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