The Northern chapter of the Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, on
Sunday, asked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to
intensify its efforts in fixing the problem of fuel scarcity, which had
lingered in the country since January.
The association said the untold hardship Nigerians were experiencing as an
oil producing nation was unacceptablle.
The association’s Public Relations Officer, Rev. John Hayab, who spoke on
the significance of Easter celebration, said in Kaduna that the government
should reflect on the fact that Jesus Christ died to eliminate the
sufferings of mankind and do the needful to eliminate the current hardship
being faced by Nigerians.
The Northern CAN’s spokesman criticised the Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, for saying that fuel scarcity might
linger till May. Kachikwu, who is also the Group Managing Director of the
Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, had told State House
correspondents that he was not a magician and the fuel scarcity could not
be eliminated with a magic wand.
Hayab described Kachikwu’s statement as unguarded and an insult to the
long-suffering Nigerians, stressing that Nigerians voted the current
government for positive change.
According to him, government is meant to cushion effects of hardship on
the people, hence it needs to wake up to its responsibilities now more
than ever before.
The leadership of Northern CAN, he noted, was of the view that the
celebration would be worthwhile if Nigerians were not facing such tough
times.
He said, “What we are saying is that government is meant for the people
and as such government should double its efforts to reducing the pains
inflicted on the average Nigerians by the fuel scarcity in the country.
“The way and manner Nigerians queue, (some even sleep at filing stations)
in the face of this hardship is unacceptable to the leadership Northern
CAN. Northern CAN wants the government to earnestly do something urgent to
avert this ugly situation before it gets out of hands.”
The association, however, urged Nigerians to support government’s efforts
by doing the right thing at the right time, to move the country forward.