Anglican primate calls for state of emergency on social welfare

The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, has called for a state of emergency on social welfare in the country.

Ndukuba, who made the call on Thursday, while inaugurating a standing committee meeting of the church, urged the National Assembly to criminalise delay in pension payment.

The cleric said that there was an urgent need for special programmes for the most vulnerable segments of the society, particularly, the unemployed and the aged.

He lamented the continuous verification of pensioners and the non observance of the provision of the Constitution that mandated review of pension, every five years, lauding President Bola Tinubu and all Nigerian workers on the signing into law of the N70,000 new minimum wage.

Ndukuba, however, called on the government to extend the scheme to cover pensioners, many of whom are living on starvation wages.

“We urge the National Assembly to criminalise the non-payment of pensions to entitled persons as and when due.

“Attention should also be paid to the most vulnerable segments of the society, particularly, the unemployed, the aged, young unemployed, or skilled male and female adults.

“The latter is the engine room of every society. There is therefore, an urgent need for an articulation of appropriate policy and programmes to cater for this often-forgotten segment of the population or imperil the future of the country.

“When you see the numbers on our streets, you will agree that the need is urgent. A declaration of emergency in social welfare in Nigeria may not be out of place,” he said.