NAN-H-107
SDGs
By Lizzy Agbaji
Abuja, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) Fr. Evaristus Bassey, the Executive Director, Caristas Catholic Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN), said in Abuja on Thursday that faith-based organisations played a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Bassey said this at the inauguration of his book titled: `Localising a global agenda: How Priests, Pastors, Imams and ordinary people can enhance the 2030 SDGs’.
According to him, religious leaders play a great role in the development of every nation as they interface with the people and have the power to impart the right morals and values in them.
He explained that with the right morals and values, such people would always work for the good and development of their communities in particular, and the country in general.
According to him, attaining the 17 SDGs goes beyond just spending money on projects as a lot can be achieved by imparting the requisite skills and knowledge in people, especially the youth.
“In Nigeria and Africa as a whole we need a framework for development and for me, an opportunity came with the SDGs.
“ As a member of the working group of Caritas International, I was involved from the beginning and so it gave me an idea that we have to domesticate this.
“We clerics work with the people and I thought if they have an idea of the SDGs and how to domesticate it in the work they do, a lot of impact will be made.
“If government officials are more conscious of the yearnings of the citizens, they would work towards addressing the plight of the citizens.” Bassey said.
Also speaking, a member of the House of Representative, Hon. Peter Akpatason said faith-based organisations had from time immemorial contributed immensely to human development and advancement.
Akpatason stated that religious organisations have led campaigns that have helped protect the rights of the people against certain local traditions and barbaric cultures.
He said the first schools in the country were established by missionaries.
He added that it was on such platforms that the country’s past leaders excelled and built Nigeria.
According to him, that is not the case today as most schools established by religious organisations have become profit-making ventures where even their members cannot afford to pay their children’s school fees.
Akpatason said every Nigerian had a lot to contribute towards the attainment of SDGs.
He said Nigerians could contribute their quota by proposing bills through a lawmakers who would present them on the floors of the legislative houses.
The lawmaker urged faith-based organisations to conduct their activities in a manner that would not irritate the sensibilities of the adherents of other religions.
He also urged them to always pay tax to the government for their profit making activities.
In his remark, the acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, said the force needed the support of the public, especially religious leaders, to succeed in its operations.
Idris said without the support of the public through the provision of timely and accurate information, the force would not be efficient.
According to him, the role of faith-based organisations in ensuring peace and security cannot be over emphasised as they are in the best position to instil the right values in people and deter them from committing crime.
The IGP said a public complaints unit have been launched by the force where everyone can make their complains and they would be attended to.
The two other books launched by the cleric are titled, `Issues in the Church and Society in Africa: Tackling the inclusion’ and `The Young Cleric’.
NAN reports that in Sept. 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda.
Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years with everybody including governments, the private sector and civil society playing their roles. (NAN)
LIZ/YEE
Edited by Emmanuel Yashim
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