The Aba Diocese of the Anglican Church of Nigeria has frowned at Abia State Governor Alex Otti’s sack of civil servants in the state.
In a communiqué issued after the 3rd session of its 17th synod in Aba, 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.
Explaining it does not support the last-minute mass employment made by the outgone administration in the state, the church, however, advised the Governor to implement his campaign promises and revisit the layoff of the workers.
In the communique 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.
The church would also want the government to establish air and sea ports, promote tourism and industrialize the rural areas to be able 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.
“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 communique condemned the government’s penchant for borrowing and the high debt profile which portends great economic danger for the present and upcoming generations in Nigeria.
Synod equally frowns at the incessant industrial action in the nation’s tertiary Institutions, hike in tuition, procurement of other academic materials including accommodation and 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.