Nigeria Economy is heading to total collapse, says Bishop Ikeakor.

By Felix Oti ,Awka

The Anglican Bishop of Amichi diocese, Rt. Rev’d Ephraim O. Ikeakor has said that the economy of Nigeria is heading to total collapse.

Bishop Ikeakor said this during the diocesan 2024 synod held at Immanuel Anglican Church Ekwulumili in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra state.

He said that the country under President Bola Tinubu is bleeding profusely while the economy is heading to total collapse.

The Prelate further stated that the education sector is totally in shambles while politicians weaponized Poverty against Nigerians.

His words “Nigerians are hungry, Nigerians have been subjugated by her rulers. Currently, Nigerians are like rudderless ship in the midst of a high sea. Our Politicians have intentionally weaponized Poverty against Nigerians.

“An average Nigerian is only thinking of survival instead of thinking of advancement, development, and fulfilment. It is time that the Nigerian populace brace up and brave up to hold her rulers accountable and responsible. Palliative giving is not an acceptable economic programme for lifting citizens out of Poverty and hopelessness.

“The Government should forget this baseless and gainless proposal for census, and use the money to give meaningful and realistic minimum wage to her dying Civil and Public Servants.

“Let me remind our Politicians and rulers that they can hold the people down for some time and not forever. Nigeria is collapsing, Nigerians are bleeding. Our youths are not just travelling out, they are fleeing from the country.

He however identified poor leadership as cog in the wheel of progress in Nigeria.

“Nigeria, no doubt is one of the countries in the world that the Almighty God blessed with so much human and material resources. Regrettably, the greatest problem of the Nigerian nation is leadership. Our rulers who pose as leaders have continued to ruin this nation, and her citizens.

“Looking at the stand of things in Nigeria, no sincere and sane person will deny the obvious fact that we don’t have leaders in Nigeria.

” In place of leaders, we have articulated bundle of selfish, wicked, insensitive, and conscienceless businessmen and women masquerading as politicians and leaders who feed fat on the woes, pains, groans and humiliations of the helpless citizens.

“Is it not abysmally unthinkable and shameful that after sixty-four years of existence as an independent nation, Nigeria cannot have functional refineries?

“The hardship and strangulating pains that the removal of oil subsidy without institutional cushioning plan, and platforms have put Nigerians into serious pain that has become glaringly unbearable.

He also chided Nigeria leaders for their inability to provide electricity for her citizens.

“Over 300% hike in electricity tariff, with no Electricity still remains an inexplicable puzzle. In which part of the world, except Nigeria do citizens pay for the services they were not provided?
It is only in Nigeria that Politicians make citizens to celebrate road construction as a great achievement.

“Government at all levels exist to provide basic amenities for her citizens. Nigeria remains the world’s largest importer of power Generating sets. The Economy of Nigeria is heading to total collapse. The education sector of Nigeria is in shambles.

“It is only in Nigeria that kidnappers use cell phone to negotiate for ransom with the families of their victims, and our security agencies have nothing to offer as solution.

“Nigerians are bleeding heavily. The level of brain drain Nigeria is experiencing currently is a sign of a nation going into extinction. Why can’t the present administration concentrate on fixing the already dilapidated road infrastructure all over the nation, instead of embarking on some white elephant projects like the Lagos-Calabar coastal Highway?

Just to further substantiate the insensitivity of leaders and leadership, the Federal Government with the approval of the National Assembly announced that they have budgeted eight hundred and sixty-nine (N869bn) billion naira to conduct 2024 National Census. Of what economic, security, infrastructural development use is this census to an average Nigerian? What is so exciting about counting poverty stricken, and hunger devouring populace?

“To my mind, what Nigerians need urgently and acutely are:
Poverty and Hunger eradication.
eradication of insecurity, banditry and terrorism.
effective, affordable, and easily accessible health care.

“Other ones include functional, impactful, purpose-driven and well-equipped education system and education institutions and readily available petrol and diesel at a cost that do not give high blood pressure to Nigerians .