Quickly Address Hunger, Sickness, Desolation – Bishop Kukah Tasks Tinubu

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said that hunger, sickness, and desolation stalk every part of Nigeria and therefore tasked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bring Nigerians down from the painful cross of hunger.

He particularly challenged President Tinubu to as a matter of urgency and national importance address the worsening hunger, disease, and despair across Nigeria, to reduce the sufferings of citizens.

Bishop Kukah, who stated this in his Easter message to the nation, noted that while the federal government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies was a necessary policy, he however stressed that mere palliative distribution diminishes the dignity of citizens.

He specifically said that the federal government did not put in place safety valves to cushion the possible backlash of the policy.

Bishop Kukah’s message came against the backdrop of astronomical rise in inflation and food insecurity, which have worsened the purchasing power of the citizens as a result of the economic reforms by the government.

The Cleric’s message is one of several calls from religious and other leaders calling on the government to take more proactive and pragmatic measures in addressing the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

Kukah also noted that despite the astronomical increase in the revenue accruing to the government through domestic reserves, majority of Nigerians are yet to feel the impact in their daily lives apart from the hunger and sufferings they are experiencing daily.

The Catholic Bishop said that for over ten years now, farming has become one of the most hazardous pre-occupations in Nigeria, and warned that Nigerians remain trapped between the rock of self-doubt and the hard place of hopelessness.

Kukah therefore called on President Tinubu to as a matter of priority make food security a constitutional right for all citizens.

In his words; “Mr. President, hunger, sickness, and desolation stalk the land. Please, bring us down from this painful cross of hunger”.