The Archbishop of the Enugu Province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev Emmanuel Chukwuma has urged the current Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu not to engage in selective probe of the immediate past administration.
He said the probe should be thorough and all encompassing.
DAILY POST reports that upon assumption of office, President Tinubu ordered the removal of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, as well as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa. Both of them are being interrogated by the Department of State Services, DSS.
Archbishop Chukwuma is of the opinion that the probe of the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration should go beyond the duo.
The Church leader also lamented that the government removed fuel subsidy without putting in place any measure to ameliorate its effect on the masses.
Chukwuma said this in an interview with journalists shortly after his last presidential charge as the Bishop of the Enugu Diocese Anglican Communion.
He spoke at the Synod of the Diocese ongoing at the Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, Independence Layout, Enugu.
He said the theme: ‘Continue in the Faith’, taken from Colosians 1:23 was prompted by the Holy Spirit in line with the happenings in Nigeria.
The Church leader lamented the government removed fuel subsidy without putting in place any measure to ameliorate its effect on the masses.
“The country is in a very difficult time and many people’s faith is being affected, particularly, even now that we are facing the issue of oil subsidy removal; people are suffering because of inflation, income is no more measurable to spending.
“And the government is not doing anything to alleviate or cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.
“The high cost of fuel, high cost of food, the cost of building materials, the high cost of transportation, frustration everywhere, unemployment, brain drain, the high exchange of Naira to dollar, all these things are affecting the faith of the people.
“As I am rounding off my episcopacy, I am encouraging our people not to allow these things to affect them, but they should continue in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do not look at the problems but look at God who will always provide for His people and even soften the heart of the leaders.
“When there is no faith, it leads to frustration, it leads to people committing suicide. But continuing in the faith will help people to survive,” he advised.
On anti-corruption, he said for the government to be taken seriously, all those who have one question or the other to answer must be called to account.
He added that, “There is wanton embezzlement of public funds; people are grabbing things of this country for themselves but the government is not probing the right people, but just scratching anti-corruption and probing on the surface.
“There is a need for equity where the Nigerians can now say ‘yes, there is a country that belongs to all’. But where there is no equity, where there is no justice, where there is no love, where there is nepotism, tribalism and religious bigotry, people lose faith in the country they belong.
“So my appeal is, let the government create an atmosphere of comfort, by cushioning the effect of subsidy removal, they should be sincere in governance, make sure that nobody is left out, inclusive governance.
“Nigerians should not lose hope, they should pray for the leaders to know that they have come to serve and not to sap.”
