President Bola Tinubu has welcomed a delegation of Catholic Bishops from Nigeria at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday. During the meeting, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a better Nigeria.
The delegation, led by Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference and Archbishop of Owerri, included prominent figures such as Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and John Cardinal Onayikan, the retired Archbishop of Abuja.
This visit comes after the Catholic Bishops Conference criticized the Tinubu administration for its handling of national issues, including unemployment, insecurity, poverty, and corruption. During their recent plenary meeting in Abuja, Ugorji urged the government to take swift action to address these challenges.
In response, the Presidency issued a statement on Monday through Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Onanuga acknowledged the bishops’ concerns but emphasized that significant progress has been made under Tinubu’s leadership, particularly in areas such as security, economic stability, and youth empowerment.
Onanuga expressed the President’s appreciation for the Catholic Bishops’ active involvement in governance and their dedication to national unity and peace. He highlighted improvements in security, noting that over 8,000 criminals, including bandits and terrorists, have been neutralized in the past two years, and more than 10,000 abducted individuals, mostly women and children, have been rescued. These efforts, he said, have enabled farmers to return to their fields, boosting food production and reducing prices.
On the economic front, Onanuga stated that the Tinubu administration has successfully stabilized the economy and strengthened Nigeria’s financial position. He reiterated the government’s resolve to continue addressing the nation’s challenges while building on its achievements.
The meeting between President Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops underscores the ongoing dialogue between the government and religious leaders as they work together to address Nigeria’s pressing issues.
