The Nation Newspaper

Tag: tackle

  • How to tackle insecurity, by cleric

    How to tackle insecurity, by cleric

    Religious leaders across the country must emphasise salvation and righteousness in their sermons as a way of shutting people’s minds against materialism which is spreading tension across the land.

    The Shepherd in charge of the Christ Apostolic Mission Church (CAMC) Ilupeju, Lagos State, Pastor James Olatunde who expressed the view, said such an attitude is the only sure way of ending insecurity and crimes in the country.

    Speaking further, the cleric who clocked 63 last week, described as unfortunate, the disposition of some clerics towards prosperity, which he bemoaned, had beclouded people’s interpretation of religion.

    “The essence of religion is to ensure that people embrace righteous lifestyle in order to have sane relationships with their fellowmen and book a place for themselves in heaven. Unfortunately, what we are facing in the land today runs counter to that principle,” Olatunde said.

    He spoke further: “It is not a sin for one to enjoy the riches of life. Of course, one needs money to enjoy the good things of life. However, it becomes a disaster when people are being encouraged to place prosperity above the love of God and His commandments. The time has come for men of God by whatever nomenclature to bring people back to the path of righteousness

    “Look at what has been happening in the northern part of the country; look at the constant killings. Look at the spate of armed robberies and other various indices of man’s inhumanity to man. While the government can be said to have failed in the area of fulfilling its bounden responsibilities to the led, it behoves religious leaders to do their bits to mitigate the attendant awry fallouts by encouraging people to live pious life.

    “Of what benefit is it for one to inherit the goodies of life and lose one’s soul?” Olatunde asked, adding: “It is time we men of God let our congregations know that this world is vanity; we are leaving with nothing and we shall all give account of whatever we do here on earth before our creator. Therefore, every moment, we must endeavour to live within the ambit of God’s commandments in order to reserve a place for ourselves in His Kingdom.”

  • Govt can’t tackle poverty without economic indicators, says Jang

    Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang yesterday said no government can tackle poverty if there are no reliable and timely indicators on major sectors of the economy.

    The governor said there must be a good understanding of the status of poverty before a government can tackle the menace.

    Jang spoke in Jos, the state capital, at a two-day workshop of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) organised for journalists.

    He explained that planning and policy formulation can only be effective when statistics is promoted as a tool for development, planning and evidence-based policy-making.

    Arrangements, he said, were being made to reposition and strengthen the State Statistical Agency (SSA) in Plateau State to enable it cope with the challenges ahead.

    The State Statistical Master Plan (SSMP), which will drive the reform process has been produced and an Executive Bill on the establishment of the State Bureau of Statistic is being prepared, Jang said.

    The governor, who was represented by the Chairman of the State Planning Commission, Mr. John Daduut, said Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as the local government areas would be strengthened to enable them collect statistics for their operations.

    He said: “I am aware of the responsibilities and challenges that statistical institutions face, bearing in mind that planning and policy formulation can only be effective when statistics is promoted as a tool for development, planning and evidence-based policy making.

    “Efforts at poverty reduction are at the centre of government’s economic programme. This can only be realised when there is a clear understanding of the status of poverty in Nigeria. In the same vein, to address the poverty situation in the country, there must be reliable and timely indicators on major sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, education, manufacturing, mines and power, health and transport, to mention but a few.”

    The Statistician-General of the Federation (SGF), Dr. Yemi Kale, urged state governments to establish a statistical infrastructure that would support complex decision-making processes as well as a proper planning of the socio-economic programmes.

    Kale, who was represented by the Head of Statistics Department, Mr. George Oparaku, said: “Viewed against the backdrop of the cautious approach the government adopts in pursuing its programmes, particularly in the ongoing Reform Agenda, it has become necessary for the Nigeria Statistical System (NSS) to further improve on its data generation.

    “To achieve this, the government, in collaboration with development partners, has designed a comprehensive National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDC) for the NSS. The strategy is a five-year plan spanning 2010-2014.”