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| Pastor Abraham O. Akinosun |
By Racheal Oke
The President of Christ Apostolic Church, Worldwide, Pastor Abraham O. Akinosun, in his new year message, has advised the Nigerian government on measures to adopt for a prosperous 2020.
Describing the Nigerian democracy in the new year message obtained by CAC News, Pastor Akinosun said that Nigeria's democratic experience has not been a happy story.
"Democracy, traditionally defined as government of the people, for the people, by the people has received a new definition in our clime; it is now a government by the violent few, for the few power brokers by the privileged few. This is so because after voting majority of our politicians into power, or they succeeded in forcing themselves on the people, it is the will of their political allies that they pursue, not the will of the people which is why insecurity, like kidnapping, terrorism, armed banditry, armed robbery and other violent crimes are so rife in the land; unemployment and other socio-economic vices are on the increase and the few jobs available are being used as political patronage to politicians." he said.
He then advised the government to institute a deliberate policy to create jobs with the sole aim of easing the pangs of unemployment instead of using jobs as a form of political patronage to politicians.
"When jobs are created, they should not be used as a means of giving patronage to political associates. The children of non-politicians should be able to get jobs easily without knowing or having any godfather." he stated.
He also stressed the need for Federal government to tackle terrorism and embrace pluralism in his appointments.
Citing the case of the composition of the National Security Council, he advised President Mohammadu Buhari to do justice to nation's heterogeneity in his appointments in order to prove his critics wrong.
"A situation where the National Security Council is said to be composed with 98% of people from one part of the country and all of them belonging to the same faith does not do justice to our heterogeneity as a nation. We pointed this out to the President during his first tenure, we thought he would use his second term to right what he did wrongly in the first term. The President should prove his critics wrong that he has no religious bias." He explained.
He added that government should reinvigorate war against graft and that all Nigerians should be able to see clearly that the government has no sacred cows in the fight.
Giving a word of caution on further loan, Pastor Akinosun begged to differ the condemnation of the proposal to take another $30billion loan by the government stating that it could be taken provided the government intends to spend the loan to start income-yielding projects that would further create employment for the teaming army of unemployed.
He however advised that the government should not take the loan if it will not be attached to specific viable projects as it would mortgage the future of the unborn generation.
"On the other hand, if the loan is not dedicated to any specific, viable projects, I would join my voice with those who have expressed their fear for the proposed loan. In the interest of the future of this country, the President should not take the loan. To take such loan not attached to specific viable projects would mortgage the future of the unborn generation, because they would be the one to face the burden of payment," he said.
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