The Evangelical Church Winning All has petitioned President Bola Tinubu to declare all Federal Government Tertiary institutions tuition-free in an effort to ease the hardship caused by the loss of fuel subsidies countrywide.
Rev. Stephen Panya, President of ECWA, made a plea on Thursday at a press conference to publicize the church concert and convention that will take place in Lagos.
Panya added that steps must be taken to lessen the suffering that Nigerians are now going through, even as she praised Tinubu for restoring the value of the naira.
He said “The current effort to revamp the economy, especially the restoration of the value of the naira, is commendable.
“However, immediate and far-reaching intervention measures are necessary to mitigate the current hardships on Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the naira.
“This has already exacerbated the high rates of inflation, unemployment, and multi-dimensional poverty.
“There is a need to significantly increase the wages of workers and make all Federal Government tertiary institutions tuition-free, while other medium and long-term plans are being worked out.”
The government needs to give responsible budgetary management first priority, he continued.
He said “This involves cutting unnecessary expenses, enhancing revenue collection, and implementing targeted subsidies and social safety nets for vulnerable groups through the re-invigorated national social investment program.
“The 1999 Constitution as amended, has unequivocally affirmed the status of Nigeria as a secular, united, and indivisible country.
“This is in recognition of the multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural configuration of the country.
“Unfortunately, over the years, this country has been deeply fractured along ethnic, regional, and religious lines, and is thus desperately in need of healing,”.
He remarked that in order to guarantee national cohesion and integration, President Tinubu’s government must strive tirelessly to bring the country together.
“To actualize this, the administration must build bridges across all divides, promote inclusiveness, ensure equitable distribution of democracy dividends, abolish discriminatory policies, and give every segment of Nigerian society a sense of belonging.
“This is why the 1999 Constitution made provision for the federal character principle,” he said.
He admonished all Nigerians to appropriate the love of God to one another.
“Nigeria is not an accident of history but the product of God’s divine providence.
“God brought us together from diverse backgrounds so we can appreciate and cherish our common humanity.
“Let us all work together to translate our diversities into strength, progress, and development.
“As Christians, we shall continue to obey the command of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to live in peace with everyone,” he said
