Umahi
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has challenged churches in the southern states of Nigeria to assist those in the North to cushion the effect of violence attacks on them in the area.
Umahi, at the 10th year anniversary and foundation stone laying of Basilica of Grace Cathedral of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in Afikpo on Sunday, thanked the Primate of the church ,Rev.Nicholas Okoh, for going to Kaduna to offer assistance to Christians who were attacked for no just cause.
He said,” I say this, the church in the southern states of Nigeria must rise up to assist the churches in the Northern states of Nigeria. That is the word of God. That is the fulfilment of the scripture.
” I thank the Primate who demonstrated this by going to Kaduna to help our brothers and sisters that were unfortunately attacked, killed and maimed for no just cause.”
Umahi, in a statement on Tuesday by his spokesman, Emma Anya, disclosed that the state Executive Council would on Wednesday meet to discuss the kind of assistance to be offered by his administration to the victims of the Kaduna attacks.
” On Wednesday when EXCO ,we will also do something to assist our brothers and sisters in Kaduna to cushion the ugly effect of what happened to them,” Umahi promised.
The governor charged the Anglican Communion to embrace the agricultural policy of his government through its “one-man, one-hectare of land, to help diversify the economy.
” I will like the church to cue into our one-man, one-hectare agric policy. We have so much land and so we can prosper,” he stated.
The primate,Rev.Okoh,commended Governor Umahi for leading Ebonyi State with the fear of the God ,noting that the state had witnessed tremendous transformation within the less than two years of his administration.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Government has announced plans to start a mentorship programme that will tackle graduate unemployment in the state.
Governor Umahi, made this known during a service to mark the 10th year diocesan anniversary and the foundation stone laying of Basilica of Grace Cathedral Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion, in Afikpo on Sunday.
Umahi, in a statement on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Emma Anya, explained that the programme which would also be of great benefit to the church, would take off with 39 civil engineers.
The governor urged the church to preach the importance of hardwork to their faithful to enhance their dignity
He said, “There is a programme we want to start in Ebonyi State. By April,we want to start a mentorship programme. We want to start first with civil engineers because I am civil engineer. We will be calling for three people in each of the 13 local government areas of the state, who are graduate and don’t have anything doing.
“ We want to start a small recreation course for them. We bring people all over the country.and also expatriates to train them for one year.
“They will visit sites and they will also be working on construction sites . After one year, we will deploy them in three companies. We will buy buldoziers, graders and concrete mixers for their companies.”
Umahi, who pointed out that a true Christian must imbibe the spirit of hardwork and honesty, observed that it was not wise for people to depend on politics as their only source of livelihood.
He appealed to the Anglican Communion followers to cue into the agricultural programme of his administration.
The governor also said that Afikpo would be given a facelift in line with his administration’s ongoing Urban Renewal Policy, adding that work will commence on Afikpo Uwana road next week.
“Afikpo remains our next target in terms of our urban renewal. So we have started the dualization of the road from Amuro to Eke market.
Umahi,who unveiled the drawing plan for the new cathedral commended the church for undertaking the gigantic project at this period of economic recession,stressing that this is the period bold leaders should stand up in defence of the church of Jesus Christ.
“I see leaders who stand up in defence of the church of Jesus Christ and Anglican Church is one of them,” he said.
The primate of Anglican communion,Most Rev.Nicholas Okoh,commended Umahi for being a supporter of the church and for his administration’s developmental programmes, especially in the area of road construction.
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