By Ayo Kehinde
Rising from a meeting with President Muhammad Buhari on Friday, The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, disclosed that the association has been able to have a meaningful discussion with him over burning national issues whose urgent solution would keep the country on track.
According to the President of CAN, Sampson Ayomike, who addressed State House correspondents after the meeting, issues discussed included security, herdsmen menace, unpaid workers salary, Nigeria’s unconstitutional membership of international religious organisations and the recent N100 billion Islamic Sukuk bond which the government has distributed for construction of some federal roads.
He said: “As I said before, there wasn’t any demon in Sukuk bond. But what was wrong is the constitutionality, what is wrong is for the government to be the one who will be promoting it and initiating it. It was a violation of the constitution.”
Stating that the inability of governments to pay workers’ salaries across the country has heightened tension and led to suicide and increase in crime.
“When people can’t find food to eat, they resort to whatever they can lay their hands on,” he said.
Mr. Ayokunle also said CAN advised Mr. Buhari to authorise the recruitment of more police officer to beef up security across the land.
“We have the problems of kidnapping, armed robbery, herdsmen attacks, militancy is also on the increase, about 300,000 police cannot police a nation of about 200 million people, even if they are given the best of equipment.
“There are lots of young people who are ready to work. Government should therefore vote more funds for security. We also advised the government to address the issue of Fulani herdsmen squarely and the President responded in the affirmative”
“We also spoke about the lopsided appointments, where some states have 30 people and another states having less than three. This will not give any sense of belonging to the government and to the country.”
