By Kamsi Anayo
The Anglican Bishop of Mbamili in the Niger Province of the Church of Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Obiora Uzochukwu has urged Anambra state government attention on the sufferings of riverine communities in the state.
Uzochukwu exclusively told our Correspondent that the riverine communities in Anambra West Local Government Area of the state who are predominantly farmers have no access roads, electricity light, quality schools and good drinking water.
Commending Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s performance so far, Uzochukwu who was elected Bishop in January 2021 said the area needed urgent social amenities from government.
“We are wasting human capital when people are suffering and not well trained. These are people that should have contributed to economic growth of our nation.
“There is no light, no road here. The people are living, drinking mud water. This is unbelievable in Anambra state. We are encouraging the Governor to rescue the predominantly farming communities.
“The situation is affecting our evangelism work of “Go Ye and Tell Them” in this terrain, but the simple thing is that we have the gospel of Jesus Christ to preach and we must preach it within our means and capacity.
“It is the same thing we are suffering with the people of the communities. We are trekking to preach the gospel, the same fate the farmers in the area are suffering in bringing out their food crops” the Bishop said.
He lamented that the Federal Government had an abandoned road project connecting Anambra state to Abuja which is a four-hour drive through Anambra West.
“What is stopping them from completing that road project to make life easy, not just for the people of Anambra West, but for every citizen. This is the civic responsibility to the people.
“That is what every government has pledged to do, they should do it. They are expected to do the right thing.
“Just like what Gov. Soludo normally say ‘I applied for this job and I am expected to do it. You were voted in to do it, so do it. It is your responsibility and God will bless you,” Uzochukwu lamented.
The Bishop, who is from Isulo, Orumba South, Anambra state also enjoined the Federal Government to resolve the lingering Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike to enable students to go back to classes.
Uzochukwu urged Nigerian politicians to ensure that they do not heat-up the polity in the 2023 general elections in the country.
“We pray that we should be united, we want our country to work again, all denominations, religions, everybody to be part of it, all hands must be on deck, nobody should be kept aside in the development of our country,” he said.
