Restructure Nigeria now, cleric urges FG

Gibson Achonu

The Bishop of Egbu Diocese (Anglican Communion) in Imo State, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Okoroafor, has called on the Federal Government to heed the clarion call for the restructuring of the nation.

He added that reference should be made to the recommendations of the 2014 constitutional conference in heeding the call.

The bishop, who said this at the third Session of the Seventh Synod of the diocese held at St. Mark’s Church Eziobodo, Owerri-West Local Government Area, argued that there was a need for a review of the nation’s 1999 constitution.

At the synod, which had the theme, “The Fourth man in the Furnace,” Okoroafor denounced calls for the sale of some national assets.

The cleric also called for a slash in the salaries and allowances of all elected public office holders in the country. He stressed that funds accruable from the exercise should be used to provide jobs for the youth and ensure regular payment of workers’ salaries.

He said, “If the security vote of a governor is N1bn monthly, a patriotic governor with the interest of his subjects at heart can be patriotic enough to slash his security vote by half  and use the remaining to pay salaries of  workers and pensioners in his state.

“Posterity will remember us for the good we have done while in office. Patriotism is love for one’s country, now is the time to show it. Change begins with one. We want to see it practically demonstrated,” he said.

He, however, commended the Federal Government for its anti-corruption measures and advised that the amount so far recovered from corrupt politicians should be injected into the economy.