Posted by The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has expressed concern that rising tuition costs are making it impossible for low-income families to keep their children in school.
At the conclusion of their second plenary conference, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria published a communique signed by President Archbishop Lucius Ugorji and Secretary Bishop Donatus Ogun. The meeting took place in Abuja.
Bishop Felix Ajakaye, Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, released the communique to the press in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State.
The bishops acknowledged that Nigerians have been living in abject poverty and claimed that the elimination of fuel subsidy “which has led to high cost of food items, transportation, and meeting up with other essential needs” has made matters worse.
From the statement entitled “Religion, Civic Responsibility, and the Construction of a Better Nigeria,” we quote: “We viewed the resort to palliative measures as treating the symptom rather than the disease.
We urged all levels of government in Nigeria to foster an atmosphere where additional employment opportunities can be developed for the country’s large and growing youth unemployment rate. The government should institute policies that reduce the ongoing theft of oil and other minerals.
We demand that the government reevaluate its youth relief initiatives in a fundamental way. We also stress to young people the importance of working hard and staying out of trouble.
We denounce the growing disgrace of elected officials living in lavish luxury while the underprivileged suffer.
Therefore, we insist that the government reduce the rising expense of governing our country so that the savings can be used to fund basic necessities.