Bishop Onuoha urges FG, state gov’t to address surging hardship

By Abubakar Yunusa

The three tiers of government have been called upon to develop life-changing policies and programs to lift people out of hunger, hardship, and starvation, emphasizing that the faces of Nigerians reflect deep distress.

The President and Founder of Vision Africa International, Bishop Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, made this appeal on Sunday.

The cleric said that beyond rhetoric about working hard to reposition the economy, the federal and state governments must urgently implement whatever good policies and programs they have for the struggling masses.

In a statement he made available to newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital, titled “Listen to the Cries of the Poor Now to Avert Anarchy,” the 2023 governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said it is not an exaggeration that the masses are hungry.

He said the look on the faces of Nigerians suggests that they are in dire need of help.

He decried that most families in Nigeria struggle to feed even once a day, while some who manage to eat are unsure of where the next meal will come from.

Bishop Onuoha stated that it has become a matter of urgency that governments at all levels hasten to come up with policies to check rising prices in food commodities and other essentials.

The release reads, “The look on people’s faces on a daily basis portrays anger, vexation, hunger, among others. Nigerians are passing through a lot to meet the daily demands of their families.

“Interactions I have had with people over the last couple of months have further prompted me to believe that Nigerians need a lifeline, quickly too.”

Meanwhile, he urged governments at all levels to revisit their manifestos and promises made to the masses in order to renew their commitments, emphasizing that they are sending a wrong signal to the masses by constantly reneging on election promises made.

“Another missing link I have discovered among the government is their inability to fulfill their election promises to the electorate.

“I believe that before these promises are made, the ruling class did proper research regarding the plights of the people. For me, it is an aberration if after you are elected, you fail to impact the people positively.”