TheCable

Daniel Okoh, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), says President Bola Tinubu’s inclusive government has improved the confidence of Nigerians in his administration.

Okoh spoke on Monday during a courtesy visit to Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

The CAN president said Tinubu has ensured inclusion in his appointments and has also taken “very positive steps” since the beginning of his administration.

“The leadership of CAN visited the President to pay a courtesy visit and to congratulate him on his election and to pledge our support for his administration,” he said.

“Sincerely what we found out is that the president is actually sensitive to all the challenges we have, we see that he is aware.

“We see him making very positive steps even from the beginning of his administration by the way he has made appointments so far.

“He has come with a great sense of inclusiveness and Nigerians have a sense of belonging.

“As Nigerians in this government, I tell you that his pronouncement so far and his body language has increased the confidence of Nigerians in Nigeria

“We believe that if given the chance he will do a lot more. We are praying that the Lord will strengthen him to do a lot more and turn around the fortunes of this country.

“We know that there are a lot of challenges but what we tell our people is that this is just the beginning of this administration.

‘What we are facing now didn’t just start today but several years back and it will take a while to turn around these things.

“The important thing is that there is an intentional step that the president has taken and he is taking to reverse the trend of events, especially in the area of governance.”

The CAN president described Tinubu as a “sensitive and listening president”, adding that he would do a lot to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to be patient and hopeful, adding that the problems of the country built up over time.

Speaking, Tinubu said his administration will not relent in addressing corruption and other vices because it is a sacred duty to ensure that the country is set right for the prosperity of all Nigerians.

The president called on Christian leaders to support the administration’s ongoing fight against corruption by encouraging Nigerians to have a change of mindset on money-related matters.

“We have no other country but Nigeria. If you do not preach the sermon of understanding, tolerance, perseverance, and hope for Nigerians, you are doing damage to the country, and nobody will help us repair it,” he said.

“Let us dialogue because public condemnation of a nation is not what makes any citizen a good one. We must admonish Nigerians to have a change of mindset and not to make money our god or master. I believe we will get to the Promised Land, and Nigeria will flourish.

“We are here to listen, and if you observe any inadequacies in my government, let us know. I am here today because of your prayers and the will of God Almighty. What I have challenged myself to do each day is to be fair to all Nigerians.

“I have had a number of criticisms, including the rationale behind the size of my cabinet. If you want efficient, mobile, and resourceful people, we have to give people a load they can carry. If you combine too many ministries because you want to save money, you will have a future of non-performance and no results.

“Nigeria needs to turn the corner to grow, and we must give people challenges they can manage, and that is what we are doing.”