…Acknowledges multidimensional poverty and hunger in the Land

By OLAYINKA LATONA

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, has urged the Federal Government to implement masses-centred policies just as he acknowledged that there is multi-dimensional poverty and hunger in the country.

Stressing the need for good governance at all levels, the Archbishop called on the political leaders across the various tiers of government, as a matter of urgency, to address the root cause of the ongoing protests, which he identified as the endemic hunger in the country.

He asked governments at all levels to embark on massive food production and strengthening of the naira to curb inflation and improve the quality of lives of Nigerians.

The Catholic Archbishop stated this in a statement signed by the Director of Social Communications, Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu.

According to him, the present government has had to make some policy decisions that have had the effect of creating more pain for people and so, the government at all levels must show that it is listening to the protesters by making measurable commitments to cutting down on the cost of governance, even if it means cutting down on the number of political appointees and pruning down on their salaries and emoluments.

In his words: “There is no doubt that there is a lot of hunger in the land, people are falling sick and dying out of poverty and inability to buy medicines and pay hospital bills. They have difficulty paying the school fees of their children and the cost of food and electricity is constantly on the rise.

“The government must commit to abandoning projects and travel that do not contribute in any direct way to the welfare of people, especially in the light of the sacrifices that people are being asked to make for the future of the nation. People want to see their leaders taking the lead in making sacrifices and I believe that some of such gestures will assuage the anger in the land.”