National Issues
2023: We won’t vote based on party lines – CAN
The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), His Eminence Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, has said Nigerians will not use political party as a deciding factor in the choice of candidate to succeed the President Muhammadu Buhari after his tenure in 2023.
According to him, Nigerians have gone beyond casting their votes based on the political party fielding candidates.
The Archbishop, who stated this while delivering the sermon at the 2022 International Men’s Conference of Christ Holy Church International in Abuja on Sunday, insisted that the electorate, particularly the Christians will vote for candidates in the next general elections using their current capacities and antecedents as criteria.
The sermon was entitled, ‘By Faith, Give Leadership’.
According to him, “It is important that people of God at this time should have their eyes open. Before casting your votes, make sure you know the people you are giving your votes.
“In Nigeria, things are beginning to change. Gone are those days when people vote based on the political party fielding the candidate; when once you have the ticket of a particular party, you are covered.
“Today, people are looking at individuals, their credibility, character, experience, capacities and antecedents in relation to the positions they want to occupy.”
The CAN President decried the menace of vote-buying in the country’s electoral system, saying the people must begin to interrogate the plans and programmes of politicians before deciding who will get their mandate for the next four years.
He, however, cautioned politicians against making false promises to amass the people’s vote.
He said, “Nigerians have come to a point where they feel that they need to sit down and negotiate with the presidential and governorship candidates.
“We must ask them: ‘What is our portion in your administration (if elected)?’ They should be able to convince you before you can cast their votes for them. Nobody should take away your future from you. Don’t let anyone give you money to buy your conscience and four years of joy.
“To the people who are in politics, when you are making promises, make sure you are telling the people what you can fulfil.
“There’s no need promising us you can give us heaven on earth when you know that given the realities on the ground you cannot be able to fulfill it.”
Okoh, who doubles as the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church International, also raised the alarm over the use of youths for political thuggery, noting that the development portended danger for the nation’s democracy.
He said, “Our youths should not allow themselves to be used as political thugs. The era of thuggery in our electoral system is over. They must positively participate in the political process. I am saying with a sense of duty that our youths must not give in to electoral violence.
“We must expand the space to inject new ideas into the systems. The world is moving on, and Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind.”
The CAN President described Nigeria as one of the best places to live in, because of the liberties the people enjoy compared to the citizens of other nations.
“Nigeria, for me, is one of the best places to live in. I love Nigeria, and we must put our collective freedom to good use,” he said.
The cleric noted that the problems facing Christians were not peculiar to Nigeria, but tasked the body of Christ to demonstrate leadership by providing hope to the rest of the country by faith in God.
He explained, “The Church is under attack, but not only in Nigeria. Globally, the truth is under attack.
“There’s no generation that had not had its own challenges. We are facing ours and must find a way to wriggle ourselves out of it.
“Some many things polarise the people at this time, but as Christians, we need to always stand together, knowing that we serve the same Lord and share in the same heritage.
“It is our unity and oneness that gives us the force to contend with whatever that opposes our very existence. When we are together, as people of God, there’s nothing we cannot conquer. Together, we can give a sense of security to our nation.
“In this (election) season, the Christians are going to provide leadership by faith, but with our two eyes opened.
“There is a miracle waiting to happen in this country and it will surely become a reality.
We should not put our trust in man.”
National Issues
Rep. Oseni Urges Urgent Action on Rising Building Collapses in Nigeria
Engr. Aderemi Oseni, representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the House of Representatives, has called for a prompt investigation into the increasing occurrences of building collapses in major cities across Nigeria.
In a motion presented to the House on Wednesday, Oseni expressed deep concern over the alarming frequency of building collapses, emphasising the threat they pose to the lives and property of Nigerians.
The APC lawmaker, through a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, cited the recent collapse of a two-storey school building at Saint Academy in Busa Buji, Jos, Plateau State, on July 12, 2024. The tragic incident, which trapped 154 people and claimed 22 lives, is the latest in a series of similar disasters, raising serious concerns nationwide.
Oseni also referenced a report from The Punch newspaper, which revealed that Nigeria had recorded 135 building collapse incidents between 2022 and July 2024.
“This figure is alarming and unacceptable,” he stated, stressing the urgency of preventing further occurrences.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Oseni reminded the House that the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and other relevant professional bodies are responsible for ensuring compliance with building standards and practices.
“Despite these regulatory frameworks, the recurring collapses suggest that enforcement is lacking. The loss of lives, properties, and resources is staggering, and this disturbing trend must be addressed immediately,” he remarked.
He proposed the formation of an Adhoc Committee to investigate the underlying causes of these collapses and recommend both immediate and long-term solutions.
Also, he urged the House Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure swift implementation of any recommendations.
The House agreed to deliberate on the motion and is expected to present its findings and proposed actions within eight weeks.
National Issues
Corruption Among Political, Religious Leaders Stalls Nation-Building – Olugbon
The Vice-chairman of the Oyo Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, has expressed deep concern over the increasing involvement of religious leaders in material pursuits, accusing them of abandoning their spiritual duties in favour of wealth and influence.
Oba Alao, who is also the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, made this statement during a visit from the leadership of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement “Ayo Ni O,” led by Baba Aladura Prophet Emmanuel Abiodun Alogbo, at his palace in Surulere Local Government on Thursday.
The monarch accused some religious leaders of sharing part of the blame for the moral and political crises that have engulfed the nation. According to him, spiritual leaders, once seen as the moral compass of society, have become compromised by corruption, aligning themselves with the very forces they should condemn.
Oba Alao was unapologetic in his criticism, stating, “Ninety-five percent of Nigerian leaders, both political and religious, are spiritually compromised.”
He argued that this moral decay among clerics has made it impossible for them to hold political leaders accountable or speak the truth to those in power, as their integrity has been eroded by their pursuit of material wealth.
“Carnality has taken over spirituality. Our religious leaders can no longer speak the truth to those in authority because their minds have been corrupted. Most of the so-called General Overseers (G.O.) are corrupt and perverted,” Oba Alao added.
He stressed that this shift towards wealth accumulation at the expense of spiritual values has greatly contributed to the country’s stagnation in development and social justice.
Olugbon urged both religious leaders and traditional rulers to reflect on their actions, reminding them that they would be held accountable for their stewardship, both in this world and the next.
“The prayers of sinners are an abomination before God, hence the need for our leaders to rethink,” he warned.
The monarch concluded by reiterating the transient nature of power and the importance of staying true to sacred duties, regardless of the temptation to indulge in worldly gains. “I am a traditional ruler. I don’t belong, and will never belong, to any occultic groups,” he emphasised, drawing a clear line between his position and the corrupt practices of some leaders.
In response to the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement’s request for collaboration on community development projects, Oba Alao assured them of his support.
“Your requests are aimed at the development of the Orile Igbon community. I am assuring you that necessary assistance will be provided in this regard.”
Earlier, Prophet Alogbo requested the monarch’s collaboration on a range of community development projects. These initiatives include the establishment of a women and youth empowerment center, clean drinking water initiatives, a bakery, animal production facilities, and farm produce processing.
Other proposals included a diagnostic and medical center, a full-size recreational sports facility, and a home care facility for the elderly.
National Issues
Nigeria’s Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.3% in Q1 2024 — NBS
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigeria’s unemployment rate increased to 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2024. The latest figures were disclosed in a report released by the NBS on Tuesday, marking an uptick from the 5.0 per cent recorded in the third quarter (Q3) of 2023.
According to the NBS, the unemployment rate for males stood at 4.3 per cent, while females experienced a higher rate of 6.2 per cent during the same period. The report also highlighted disparities based on location, with urban areas recording a 6.0 per cent unemployment rate compared to 4.3 per cent in rural areas for Q1 2024.
“The unemployment rate for Q1 2024 was 5.3%, showing an increase from 5.0% recorded in Q3 2023,” the bureau stated in its report. The NBS defines the unemployment rate as the percentage of the labour force, including both employed and unemployed individuals, who are not working but are actively seeking employment.
Youth Unemployment Rate Declines
In a positive development, the report indicated a slight drop in youth unemployment, which fell to 8.4 per cent in Q1 2024, down from 8.6 per cent in Q3 2023. This figure represents the unemployment rate among Nigeria’s young people, a demographic that often faces unique employment challenges.
Educational Attainment and Unemployment
The report further provided insights into unemployment rates based on educational attainment. Individuals with postgraduate education recorded the lowest unemployment rate at 2.0 per cent, while those with post-secondary education faced a rate of 9.0 per cent. For people with secondary education, the rate stood at 6.9 per cent, and those with only primary education recorded a 4.0 per cent unemployment rate.
Employment-to-Population Ratio Falls to 73.2%
In addition to the unemployment data, the NBS also reported a decline in Nigeria’s employment-to-population ratio, a critical indicator of workforce participation. The ratio dropped to 73.2 per cent in Q1 2024, down from 75.6 per cent in Q3 2023. This ratio represents the percentage of the working-age population that is employed.
Breaking the data down by gender, the employment-to-population ratio for males was 74.2 per cent, while it was 72.3 per cent for females. By place of residence, urban areas had an employment-to-population ratio of 69.5 per cent, while rural areas recorded 78.9 per cent in Q1 2024, compared to 71.1 per cent and 80.7 per cent in Q3 2023, respectively.
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