Easter: Nigerians are suffering, Northern CAN tells Buhari

The Northern Christians Association of Nigeria, on Sunday, asked the Federal Government to intensify its efforts in fixing the problem of fuel scarcity, which had lingered in the country since January.

The association said the untold hardship Nigerians were experiencing as an oil- producing nation was unacceptable.

The association’s Public Relations Officer, Rev. John Hayab, who spoke on the significance of Easter celebration, told our correspondent, in Kaduna, that the government should reflect on the fact that Jesus Christ died to eliminate the sufferings of mankind and do the needful to eliminate the current hardship being faced by Nigerians.

Hayab criticised the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, for saying that fuel scarcity might linger till May.

Kachikwu, who is also the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, had told State House correspondents that he was not a magician and the fuel scarcity could not be eliminated with a magic wand.

Hayab described Kachikwu’s statement as unguarded and an insult to the long-suffering Nigerians, stressing that Nigerians voted the current government for positive change.

According to him, government was meant to cushion effects of hardship on the people, which is why it needed to wake up to its responsibilities now more than ever before.

The leadership of Northern CAN, he noted, was of the view that the celebration would be worthwhile if Nigerians were not facing such tough times.

He said that, “What we are saying is that government is meant for the people and as such government should double its efforts to reducing the pains inflicted on the average Nigerians by the fuel scarcity.

“The way and manner Nigerians queue, (some even sleep at filing stations) in the face of this hardship is unacceptable to the leadership Northern CAN.

“Northern CAN wants the government to earnestly do something urgent to avert this ugly situation before it gets out of hands.”

The association, however, urged Nigerians to support government’s efforts by doing the right thing at the right time, to move the country forward.