Archbishop Martins advises govt, private sector to move from palliative distribution to empowerment

• Says many not blessed to survive vicissitudes of life in 2024

By Gabriel Dike

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, on Tuesday urged Nigerians to be thankful to God in spite of all our challenges, knowing that many are not as blessed as we are to have survived the vicissitudes of life in 2024.

According to him, this is not to downplay the fact that the living standards of many have become worse than ever before, and begging to survive has become commonplace as we go on the streets of our towns and cities.

“However, it is to say that we cannot afford to close the door on hope and trust in God as the basis for taking the required action to remedy the sad situations of many people. Be that as it may, we cannot but demand that governments at all levels should do far better in 2025 than they have done so far in order to stem the high rate of poverty in the country and improve the quality of lives of the citizens,” Martins noted.

The prelate said in a statement signed by the Social Communications Director of the Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu, that the move towards a qualitative, rather than palliative, empowerment of Nigerians through creating opportunities for skills acquisition, provision of gainful employment, and soft loan opportunities for small and medium-scale industries to thrive has become necessary because of their potential long-lasting positive impact on the nation’s weak economy.

While expressing dismay that many Nigerians are finding it difficult to cope with meeting their basic needs, Martins observed that the onerous task of improving the quality of life for Nigerians through deliberate empowerment policies should also be the concern of the organised private sector. That is why a better enabling environment for businesses to thrive must be continually explored by the government so that Nigerians would be better served.

He said the increased cost of energy and other social amenities has made it difficult for businesses to thrive, adding that while we recognise the fact that things must be better priced, it is also important that more opportune times need to be identified so that the burden is not too heavy as to make life impossible for people.

In his 2025 New Year message to Nigerians, Archbishop Martins, while felicitating with all citizens of the country for the privilege of witnessing another New Year, also commended them for their resilience in the face of the harsh economic climate that characterised the better part of the outgoing year, 2024.

Archbishop Martins, while also thanking God for keeping Nigeria as one despite the numerous challenges she has gone through, said the New Year provides another opportunity for all Nigerians, the leaders and the led, to reflect on the journey so far and project on how to make the New Year more purpose-driven for the citizens.

He said: “As we enter into the new year 2025, we must take time, as individuals and as a people, to reflect sincerely and honestly on our successes and failures in the past year so that we can work out ways of making 2025 a more fruitful year for all and sundry. Judging from the recent tragic events that marred the good intentions of some individuals and groups to provide palliatives for vulnerable Nigerians, we need to rethink our strategies for helping the poor and the most vulnerable among us.

“I believe it is time that governments at all levels, the private sector operators, non-governmental organisations, and other relevant agencies should begin to explore more ingenious ways of empowering the less privileged Nigerians through skill upgrades and greater opportunities to be gainfully employed so that they can provide for their families with dignity and not resort to begging for daily sustenance.

“I believe if this is effectively carried out, the high rate of poverty and unemployment in society will be reduced to a large extent and people will have a great sense of purpose in life. By so doing, we will not merely be giving fish to the hungry, but we will help to teach them how to build fish ponds that will sustain them and their families without resorting to begging.”

Archbishop Martins invited Nigerians to approach the new year with optimism and with open-mindedness, love, and tolerance towards all peoples, irrespective of their religion or ethnicity. He further urged them to build on the successes of the outgoing year, learn the lessons that came with the challenges, and look forward to the future with hope and optimism.