The government at all levels have been called upon to bring back industries in agriculture that have become challenged or moribund, and also build new ones. This call was made by Rev. Father Andrew Obinyan in Benin, Edo State recently. He made the call while distributing money, clothes and food items to widows and indigent parishioners. Obiyan, who is also the parish priest of St. Francis Catholic Church, Ekewan road, Benin said the effort was to ensure that the windows and indigent parishioners were living a comfortable life.
He called on politicians to intensify effort in providing social welfare programmes that would directly impact on the citizens and guarantee a decent standard of living in the state noting that, with pain and abhorrence the growing and life wrenching poverty, hunger and misery in the land, stated that God hears the cry of the poor
He advised leaders and governments at all levels not to focus only on physical infrastructure but ensure a corresponding investment in poverty reduction and youth empowerment.
Besides that, the priest also advised that the government should go beyond doling out palliatives to people and work towards providing employment to them. He said, Government needs to build and revamp ailing industries in agriculture, textile, health, housing, recreation, waste management and recycling to boost job opportunities.
Good governance also encompasses policies that favour food security and farmers interest.
Some politicians and their next generation will live in luxury and remain unruffled by the detestable waters of poverty.
The unfortunate part of the imbroglio is the naive understanding and interpretation of good governance as simply building roads, bridges and paying monthly wages for labour or services rendered according to contract.”