By Monday Ajegena, Akwanga
The Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (Tarayyar Ekklesiyoyin Kristi A Nijeriya, TEKAN) has called on the Federal Government (FG) to take immediate action to address the increasing attacks on farmers due to its impact on food production and sufficiency.
Rev. Joel Stephen-Billi, President of TEKAN made the call at a press conference at the end of their 69th General Assembly meeting on Saturday in Akwanga, headquarters of Akwanga Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
He expressed concern over the growing insecurity and attacks that are prevalent in many food-producing communities across the country, especially in the Northern part of the country.
He noted that persistent attacks on farmers by bandits and terrorists have led to a significant decline in agricultural production, resulting in food shortages and rising prices.
“The Federal Government must take decisive action to protect our farmers and ensure that they can go about their business without fear of attack.
“It is only when our farmers are safe and able to produce food that we can guarantee food sufficiency in our nation,” he added.
Stephen-Billi also emphasized the need for the government to provide adequate fertilizer, credit facilities, and essential inputs to real farmers and not political farmers.
He added that the government should expedite action to rescue victims of kidnappers who are still in captivity and resettle communities displaced from their ancestral homes and empower them.
On the increasing rate of unemployment, the TEKAN President should include entrepreneurship and skills acquisition training in the school curriculum and ensure its full implementation to produce graduates that would be employers of labour.
The clergy also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to provide adequate palliative measures to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy.
He called on Christians and all well-meaning Nigerians to pray for leaders at all levels because they need God’s guardians to succeed.
The General Assembly meeting was attended by Presidents and General Secretaries of the fifteen churches that made up TEKAN.
The churches include Church of Christ in Nations, Nongou Kristi Ser-Tar, Christian Reformed Church -Nigeria, Ekklesiyar Yanuwa A Nijeriya, Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, Reformed Church of Christ for Nations, United Methodist Church in Nigeria.
Others are the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ, Membila Baptist Convention-Nigeria, Evangelical Church of Christ in Nigeria, United Church of Christ in Nations, Nigeria Reformed Church, All Nations Christian Assembly, United Missionary Church of Africa, and Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria. (www.krestnews.com)