Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts toward fixing the country.

The Primate, in an address delivered to the second session of the 12th Synod organised by the Diocese of Abuja, identified the economy as one challenging area the President was striving to fix.

The synod had the theme: “By This Time Tomorrow: Breaking the Siege upon the Nation (2 Kings 7:1, 6-7)”.

It focused on breakthrough, deliverance, belief and strong faith in God

The Synod is the highest decision-making body of an Anglican Diocese. It is held every year with the Bishop presiding.

Synod of the Church of Nigeria is a platform for prayer, discussion of Church and national issues, decision-making, accountability, among others.

He said that the country’s economy was in a bad shape with the ordinary citizens feeling the pain on a daily basis.

He added that Tinubu needed strong recommendations from his Economic Policy Planners and Think-Tank in his drive to get Nigerians out of the current situation.

The Anglican Primate also commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, for his visible developmental efforts that had ensured the completion of some infrastructural projects in the FCT.

He commended the Federal Government for renovating public schools and giving special attention to rural communities, adding that the collaboration with community leaders to achieve peace was also commendable.

“The efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor and his team to stabilise the exchange rate are also commendable.

“Going forward, there is still a need to address some other factors that are contributing to the adverse economic conditions in Nigeria.

“In all, it has been an eventful first year of President Tinubu in office,” he said.

According to him, continuous borrowing contributes to inflationary pressure on the economy, adding that when government injects more money into circulation, it drives up prices which lead to a high cost of living for ordinary citizens.

He further maintained that the recent fuel scarcity and increase in the tariff on power were making life more difficult for the citizens.

“We support organised Labour’s demand that the Federal and State governments should intervene through the relevant ministries to alleviate the suffering of the people.

“The review of the minimum wages of Nigerians is very necessary in view of the hyper inflation and general harsh economic environment,” he added.

On food security, the Primate said that Nigeria was blessed with lots of natural resources, adding that its citizens were enterprising and hardworking.

He advised government to ensure that no Nigerian is left hungry or be unsure of food for its family.

“Food security is vital to the overall growth and stability in the country. So, our leaders must address the issue of insecurity because the challenge the citizens face concerning hunger and starvation is alarming.

Primate Ndukuba, however, said that the Church’s theme for the 2024 Synod was a message of hope and demonstration of the power of God to bring divine help in an overwhelming political and socio-economic misery.

“We need the word and divine intervention in our nation, Nigeria. We speak healing and restoration into the Nigeria situation. This siege must be broken, and total restoration shall come to Nigeria.”

Former Archbishop of Abuja Province and Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Nicholas Okoh, in his goodwill message, urged Nigerians to join hands in praying for the actualisation of God’s intervention in the country.

He emphasised that the prophesy delivered by the Primate took a lot of courage and prayed for God’s intervention on His children and the country.

“When the people were suffering in Egypt, they were with the belief that a deliverer is coming to rescue them, which is the message that has just been delivered today.

“We are all anxiously waiting for these transformations in our country for the sake of our children who have no other country except Nigeria.

“Therefore, join your hands in prayer and join your hands in everything good for the actualisation of what God is doing,” Okoh said. (NAN)

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says a group of 43 Advance Team of the commission will on Sunday depart Abuja for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to mark the commencement of the 2024 pilgrimage.

Malam Mousa Ubandanwaki, Deputy Director, Information & Publications, Division, NAHCON, made this known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

Reports says that the commission had scheduled May 15 for the inaugural flight for the 2024 hajj.

Ubandanwaki explained that the team made up of 35 NAHCON officials and eight Medical Personnel would be in Saudi Arabia for the final preparation to receive the first set of Nigerian pilgrims from Kebbi State, who would be arriving the Kingdom on May 15.

He said that the Executive Chairman of NAHCON, Malam Jalal Arabi, while addressing the team urged them to live up to expectation by discharging their duties in accordance with their mandate.

Arabi noted that the performance of the team could make or mar the success of the exercise.

” You are the first point of call or contact with the pilgrims. Their impression and perception of your action or activities will go a long way towards assessing the commission.

“If you get it right, we get it right and on the contrary, if you get it wrong, the rest will just be about crisis management.

“Therefore, you must be up and doing in order to earn our reward here and that of Allah in the Hereafter, for treating His Guests well.

“They are the reason you are there, so at every point in time, make sure you attend or treat them with courtesy and respect,” he said.

Arabi, however, warned that the commission would take drastic step against anyone who may be reported to have deviated from the rules of engagement.

The NAHCON boss stated that he would not hesitate to recall any staff accused of dereliction of duties.

He further called on them to “take the admonition seriously” stressing, “the bar has been raised and the expectation is high”.

” You have been carefully selected because of the trust we have in you and as such, you need to brace up.

” Laxity and procrastination will not be tolerated.”

Arabi also stressed the need for the medical personnel to respect their patients and pilgrims ” on whose essence they were going there.

Responding on behalf of the team, Alhaji Ibrahim Mahmud, who is the Madina Coordinator, expressed appreciation to the management for the trust and confidence reposed in them.

He assured of their determination and readiness to make this year’s hajj more successful than the previous years.

“We will ensure that pilgrims get value for money and also do everything possible that pilgrims perform their Hajj rites without hitches Insha Allah.”

The team is to organise and coordinate the reception, accommodation, feeding and transportation, health and general welfare of the pilgrim held in the Holy land throughout the Hajj period. (NAN)

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Legbaja, has ordered an investigation into the state of all Nigerian Army detention facilities across the nation.

A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said that the order was in response to the recent protest by some detained personnel at the 8 Div.

He described the Sokoto incident as “quite unfortunate and an embarrassment to the sound administrative efforts of the COAS”.

“The COAS wants to determine whether it was an isolated incident or widespread situation in similar detention facilities,” the statement said.

Nwachukwu said that while the service regretted and had gleaned some lessons from the incident, it would not condone the manner the inmates expressed their purported grievance.

He added that mutiny and conduct prejudicial to service order were grievous misconducts, adding that the Sokoto incident epitomised such.

“The army will go ahead to implement the COAS directive to look into the state of all army detention facilities as detainees’ lives also matter.

“The service shall not shy away from appropriately sanctioning the soldiers involved in the unruly behaviour in its Sokoto detention facility, for failing to exhaust all available options to channel their complaints to the appropriate authorities.

“If it is discovered they did and nothing was done, necessary administrative actions will be taken against anyone found to have failed to discharge his/her duties effectively.

“While the Service is mindful of its subjective oversight engagements by statutory bodies, it remains primarily a responsible, self-regulating professional body.

“The army wants to ensure that every detainee, including those found guilty of aiding terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits, and awaiting confirmation of their sentences, is accorded a decent life until judgment is confirmed and executed.”

This commitment, according to him, underscores army’s dedication to upholding professional standards and maintaining a just and fair system.

“The Nigerian army appreciates all Nigerians for their concern and support. We pledge to remain focused on the drive to defeat security challenges facing the nation in conjunction with sister services and other security agencies,” he added. (NAN)