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The Federal Government affirmed its commitment to working with faith-based groups, especially the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, to promote unity, harmony and stability. It highlighted the need for partnership among government, religious institutions, traditional leaders, civil society and the private sector as a key strategy for addressing national challenges and ensuring credible elections.
The Federal Government yesterday reiterated its determination to work with religious bodies to foster unity, harmony and stability. It said that a stronger collaboration with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria , other faith-based organisations and key national stakeholders is required for tackling the challenges confronting the country.
He said contrary to insinuations in some quarters, there is no room for one-party system, adding that government’s commitment to the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission , political pluralism and credible elections is total. Akume said Nigeria’s pressing challenges require sustained partnership between government, faith communities, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, the private sector and citizens.
The SGF said in a statement by his media aide, Yomi Odunuga, that constructive engagement is essential for promoting peace, social cohesion and national development. He said the government would continue consultations with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Nigeria, other faith-based organisations and relevant stakeholders, while sustaining dialogue and conflict prevention through the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council . He said: “Many of the challenges confronting our nation require partnership.
Faith communities, traditional institutions, civil society, the private sector and citizens all have indispensable roles to play in promoting peace, strengthening social cohesion and advancing national development. Constructive engagement between Government and these institutions is therefore not only welcome but essential.
“The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will continue consultations with the leadership of the Catholic Bishops Conference, other faith-based organisations and relevant stakeholders on the issues raised during the meeting and on areas where greater collaboration can advance the national interest. ”Akume said the Federal Government had taken note of public reactions that trailed the meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops, adding that the contributions of the Catholic Church to Nigeria’s development through education, healthcare, humanitarian services, peacebuilding and moral formation cannot be ignored.
He described the Church as one of Nigeria’s foremost development partners, stressing that, like other faith communities, it has both the right and responsibility to speak on issues affecting the welfare of citizens and the future of the country. The SGF explained that discussions between the President and the Bishops were candid, respectful and constructive, covering security, economic hardship, public services, education, electoral credibility, political pluralism and religious freedom.
He noted that both sides also acknowledged progress made under the Tinubu administration, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and recent successes by security agencies in rescuing abducted schoolchildren and their teachers. Akume said the areas of disagreement should not be interpreted as a breakdown in mutual respect or detract from the shared commitment of both government and the Church to Nigeria’s peace, unity and progress.
On the economy, the SGF, who admitted that many Nigerians are facing hardship, described it as a passing phase. He said government policies were deliberately designed to address the country’s challenges through investments in rail transport, the Sokoto-Badagry and Lagos-Calabar superhighways, road construction and rehabilitation nationwide, as well as the ongoing transformation of Abuja’s road network.
He added that food security initiatives involving improved agricultural inputs, tractors and institutional support through the National Agricultural Land Development Agency were already being implemented to boost agricultural productivity. Akume said the administration had improved electricity generation and distribution through CNG power stations and reforms allowing greater participation of sub-national governments in the energy sector.
He also highlighted ongoing upgrades of primary and tertiary health facilities, the establishment of regional development commissions to drive inclusive growth and job creation, and recruitment exercises across ministries, departments and agencies. Defending the administration’s economic reforms, the SGF described them as difficult but necessary measures aimed at correcting structural weaknesses, restoring macroeconomic stability, rebuilding investor confidence and placing the economy on a more sustainable path.
He said there was growing evidence that the reforms were beginning to produce results, citing a more stable foreign exchange market, moderating inflationary pressures, stronger macroeconomic fundamentals and renewed investor confidence. Akume maintained that official data showed continued real economic growth, moderation in headline inflation and declining food-price pressures, arguing that these developments justified sustaining the reforms while intensifying targeted interventions to reduce the cost of living and expand economic opportunities.
He identified the Social Investment Programmes, Credit Corps, NELFUND, support for business start-ups and Conditional Cash Transfers as evidence of efforts to ensure that the benefits of reforms translate into improved household welfare, employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure and economic opportunities. The SGF also praised the Central Bank of Nigeria for discharging its statutory responsibility for monetary and price stability with professionalism and institutional independence, saying monetary credibility, financial system stability and public confidence would remain above partisan politics.
He said the next phase of the administration’s reform agenda would focus on ensuring that economic stability translated into lower inflation, more affordable food, quality jobs, stronger public services, improved infrastructure and expanded opportunities for Nigerians. On security, Akume said the true test of government policy remained the safety experienced by citizens in their homes, farms, schools, markets, places of worship and on highways.
He described every life lost to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes as regrettable, adding that the government was expanding and strengthening the nation’s security architecture with encouraging results. The SGF cited the creation of four new Army divisions in Benue, Kwara, Taraba and Edo states as a landmark initiative to improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army, while noting that President Tinubu had authorised continuing reforms in force structure, intelligence coordination, logistics, recruitment, technology and personnel welfare.
He added that the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security further demonstrated the administration’s commitment to strengthening domestic security. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to democracy, Akume said Nigeria’s democratic order guaranteed genuine political competition, lawful opposition, multi-party democracy, credible elections and the right of every citizen to participate freely in the political process. He pointed to INEC’s registration of 21 political parties as evidence of political pluralism, insisting that the Federal Government neither sought nor supported a one-party state.
The SGF also assured that the Tinubu administration would continue to respect INEC’s legal autonomy and provide all resources lawfully appropriated for the commission, while maintaining that security agencies had acted professionally and impartially during elections under the scrutiny of international observers. Akume said the Federal Government would continue to welcome sincere advice from respected national institutions because no responsible government should ignore the concerns of its people.
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