Address High Cost Of Governance, Christian Leaders Beg FG

The Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN) has decried the high cost of governance in Nigeria despite the hardship the citizens are currently facing.

TEKAN is made up of 15 denominational churches established about 69 years ago with traceable evangelical ancestry, theological affinity and Christian belief.

In communique issued at the end of its 69th general assembly held at the headquarters of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria (ERCC) in Akwanga, Nasarawa State yesterday, the body said it was wrong for elected officials to live extravagantly at the expense of the masses.

The communique signed by its president, Rev.Joel Stephen Billi and secretary, Rev. Augustine Akawu Elisha, advised government at all tiers to cut the cost of governance and deploy same into improving the standard of living of the citizens.

It also advocated massive investment in agriculture and consequent sufficient food production to meet both domestic consumption and export.

It said by so doing, the inflation in the country due to the floating of the national currency and its adverse effects on the citizens could be halted.

The assembly also wants the federal government to do more in alleviating the suffering Nigerians are currently going through as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, noting that the measures the federal government had already put in place in that direction had achieved appreciable impact.

It also frowned at the lingering insecurity across the country which has adversely affected the food security drive, while urging the federal government to do more to end the menace.

It called on communities to form vigilante groups in collaboration with security agencies to defend their domains within the ambit of the law.

The assembly urged the federal government to work towards rescuing those held by non-state actors even as it wants those displaced from their ancestral homes as a result of insecurity to be resettled and empowered to provide for themselves and families.

On the unemployment situation in the country, the assembly called on federal government to not only include skills acquisition in the country’s education curriculum, but also monitor its implementation.

“The assembly calls on youths to change their orientation towards white collar jobs and embrace skills acquisition programmes to make them self-restraint,” it said.