Methodist Bishop, Onwukwe applauds Nwifuru for restoring peace in war-torn communities in Ebonyi

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki 

The Bishop of Methodist Church, Diocese of Izhia, Rt. Rev. Jacob Onwukwe has applauded governor Francis Nwifuru for restoring peace and order in various war-torn communities in Ebonyi state.

Bishop Onwukwe made this known in a communiqué signed and issued to newsmen shortly after the end of the maiden annual synod of the diocese, held at Wesley cathedral Izhia junction, Ohaukwu LGA, Ebonyi State.

He, however, enjoined the governor, Nwifuru to use his good office to ensure the end of hostility among the people of Akaeze and Ishiagu, Ndukwe in  Amasiri and Okporojo-Edda land disputes and indeed any other troubled parts of the State.

The communiqué reads in part: “The Synod commends the Governor’s brilliance in his policies which has reflected in the relative peace across the State, especially the Effium-Ezza Effium the release of the detained citizens of the area as a result of the conflict, the resettlement of the displaced persons of the Ezza Ezillo (Ameze- Izzo Community)in Ishielu LGA  etc.

“The Synod also enjoined the Governor to use his good office to ensure the end of hostility among the people of Akaeze and Ishiagu, Ndukwe in  Amasiri and Okporojo-Edda  land disputes and indeed any troubled part of the State.

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Bishop, Onwukwe further applauded the sagacity of governor Nwifuru in the recognition of over thirty Ndi Eze with the issuance of certificate and staff of office to them, “The commencement of the construction of a duplex to each of the traditional rulers and construction of 2km road in each community of the state as well as gifting some of traditional rulers with Jeeps in addition to other incentives to befit their royalties.

The synod also lauded the governor for the resuscitation of the moribund Ebonyi State Building Material Industry, Ezzangbo, the comatose Ezzangbo Pipe Production Industry as well as the rejuvenated Ebonyi Hatchery, describing these as an uncommon down to earth grassroot administration.

The Synod however appeals to the State governor to extend his magnanimity to Retirees at the Local Government Civil Service with his retirement benefits accorded their colleagues in the State Civil Service and Ministries and Agencies as a way of diffusing the suspicion of partiality since he is also their father.

“The Synod found as absurd for that weapons welding persons would travel from Kano down to South (Uromi) in search of games (bush meat, animals) and regretted the high level of Insecurity: Invasion of Communities, Kidnapping and Killings and other heinous pains unleashed on especially the people in the Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi States and now parts of South West of Nigeria must stop and perpetrators brought to book in accordance with extant laws of the land. 

“The Synod therefore called on all arms of Government, the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary to be alive to their constitutional responsibilities to restore the people’s trust in Nigerian, State and ensure the Sacred duties of protecting the lives and property of citizens and guarantee safety on the Nation’s roads, rails and waterways.

“It gave the Synod a deep sense of concern the unabated rising spate of unemployment, hyper-inflation, high rate of poverty indices in the Country and therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu  to take measures to change the negative economic narrative by initiating policies on Agricultural incentives, education and enabling atmosphere for production industries deliberately to scale up the GDP of average Nigerian citizen.

“The Synod frowned at the criminal silence of some Christian leaders in the  face of corrupt practices, injustice, and other forms of negative tendencies in the society and charged them to remain the conscience and soul of the society” it stated.