Sunday Okobi
The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) has rated the federal government’s present reform high, saying if sustained, it would take the country out of the wools.
The church that envisioned a better Nigerian society as the outcome of the measures, appealed to the people to support the government to enable it expand the reforms to impact lives.
The President of the convention, Rev. Israel Akanji, gave the rating, and appeal at a press conference to herald its 2024 III annual convention to take stock and reposition the church for greater exploit.
The conference was held at the Lagos East Convention Secretariat, Obanikoro, Lagos.
The convention to mark the church’s 110 years of Gospel propagation, tagged: ‘Super Centenary Anniversary’, with the theme: ‘Entering into Newness Through Discipleship and Apostleship,’ would be staged at the Baptist International Convention Centre (BICC) KLM 54, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lufuwape, Ogun State.
Speaking at the conference, Akanji described the church as a congregationalists, where measures were taken with the input of everyone, adding that, the federal government was toeing popular reform measures that impact positively on the people.
According to him, “The present Tinubu administration inherited a battered economy that will take sacrifices to repair.
“The war against insecurity in the country is to be handled with utmost priority that it deserves, and results are beginning to be recorded in many aspect of the country.
“The attention being given to the Lagos-Calabar coastal road is one that will open up the country’s coastal potential to revive the nation’s economy mostly as it concerns non-oil products.
“The war against corruption that has identified many loopholes and perpetrators with many standing trial is one that will send shivers down the spines of latent corrupt persons in public circle.
“The government will write its name in gold if former leaders whose inordinate crave for self-aggrandisement plugged the country into economic crisis that has taken negative toll on the people, are made to face the law.”
“The government should, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency on the country’s education with a view to restoring normalcy.
“This will help to reduce the percentage of children who are out of schools in the country, and address crisis rocking some tertiary institutions.
“The power sector, which has been a challenge to successive administration, will be addressed at the conference of the stakeholders with a view to having a permanent solution to it.”
Akanji pointed that with its 14,000 churches across the country, it would continue to project pro-life missions just as its founding fathers did.
He noted that the church, over the years, has collaborated with other churches and bodies to pacify displaced people especially those in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in the North and would do more to give people sense of belonging.
He called on the public to attend the five-day convention, and experience divine visitation in every sphere of life as anointed men of God would lead faithful to commune with God.
