After their First Plenary Meeting of the year, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), over the weekend, issued a pastoral communique urging the Nigerian government to stay the course of good governance. The pastoral communique made available to Vatican News wants the government to prioritize the establishment of democratic structures.
As reported by Vatican news, the document signed, on behalf of other Bishops, by the CBCN President Archbishop His Grace Augustine Akubeze of the Archdiocese of the Benin City. The Episcopal Conference’ Secretary, His Excellency Bishop Camillus Umoh of the Diocese of Ikot Ekpene also co-signed the document, reads, “We, therefore, enjoin government at all levels in Nigeria to put necessary structures of governance in place and enact appropriate laws that will produce such an environment. We equally insist that the democratic culture of the separation of powers and the independence of the Judiciary be respected.”
According to the Bishops, “For centuries, the Church has been an advocate of good governance for the Common Good. To this end, we call on all dioceses to promote the Social Teaching of the Church, to simplify and to translate it into concrete actions and to use it for an effective socio-political formation of all the people. Special attention must be paid to young people and families so that the values espoused in Catholic Social Teaching would be inculcated early into children and young people,” the Bishops affirm.
