.Urges govt to enact people-centered policies, prioritise citizens’ well-being

Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Kayode Odetoyinbo, has charged Nigerians to kindle their hope and renew their minds toward building the Nigeria of their dream.
Dr. Odetoyinbo, in his Christmas message, said the celebration of Christ’s birth is a reminder for all to be full of hope.
He said, “Christmas is indeed a time of ‘Renewed Hope’, not hope in a particular political concept or government policies but Hope in Jesus Christ; the hope that subsists despite our insufficiency, poverty and hunger.
“Christ brought hope to the hopeless, pardon to the guilty, forgiveness to the conscience-stricken, peace to those who knew no peace, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed and declaration of favour from the Lord (Luke 4:18).
“The Holy Father Pope Francis also about this time has declared the Jubilee Year of Hope and instructed us to keep Hope for peace alive as pilgrims of hope in a world full of war, evil, hopelessness and despair.
“This hope is different from the world’s understanding of hope that is often based on mere wish but a strong and confident expectation, an unwavering trust in the faithful God.”
Speaking on the state of the nation, Rev. Dr. Odetoyinbo called for the cooperation of all stakeholders to enthrone structures of hope that will positively impact the lives of the citizenry.
The revered cleric urged the government and its agencies to instill hope in Nigerians by designing people-centered policies that will prioritise their well-being.

“Consequently, we must identify the vulnerable groups among us who require urgent assistance.
“Youth employment and empowerment should be top on government agenda so as to give hope to our young people that there is a bright future for them in their fatherland.
“Government should identify critical areas of need and possible interventions such as food, education, health care, housing, security etc.
“Affordable loans should be made available to small and medium scale enterprises and providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Nigeria,” he charged.
The Cleric, however, acknowledged the increased monthly allocation to state governments, increased workers’ minimum wage, students loan, cash transfer schemes to the vulnerable, 2025 budget proposals with more allocation for capital projects and debt recovery and other interventions by the government but advised that more be done in areas of food inflation, fixing the local refineries to meet contemporary standards, investment in social programmes, fixing incessant collapse of national grid and addressing insecurity headlong.
He urged the government to ensure that the savings from fuel subsidy removal and flotation of the naira be reinvested to building infrastructures and addressing the raging economic problems affecting the citizens.
Rev. Dr. Odetoyinbo assured, “God is with us in Nigeria and we should never lose hope in our common pursuit to build a nation where peace and justice shall reign.”

Most Rev Dr. Peter Kayode Odetoyinbo