Conference President, Lagos East Baptist Conference, Rev. Emmanuel Awotunde has appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government on the closure of borders, assuring that the ripple effect of temporary hardship therefrom, would soon metamorphose to positive impact on the economy for the betterment of every citizen.
Awotunde made the call during the ordination service of Ebenezer Adebowale Adejumo, Olusola Oyewole Oyekale, Opeyemi Lois Adeyi and Florence Titilayo Soleye as deacons and deaconesses at Okota Baptist Church, Lagos.
Awotunde hinged his support for closure of borders on the negate impact of importation of so many unimaginable products into the country including toothpick, adding that economists would agree that apart from the avoidable leakage in our foreign reserve, insistence on such insidious and untoward practice would never allow the country to grow and be self-reliant.
“I am not unaware of the kind of inflation the bold step of the federal government to close borders might lead to, but the end result would be better for it if Nigerians can persevere and this can only be achieved through discipline and determination” he said.
He called on Nigerians to join the Federal government in the area of diversification to farming, as he went back the memory lane that if Nigerians
took seriously the introduction of “Operation Feed the Nation” then by Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria would not be what she is today while importation of a lot of food items would have stopped long time ago.
He reminded Nigerians of the fact that many of the advanced nations in the world today, took a similar bold step before getting to where they are now, and advised Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the gift of God of arable land to go en-mass into farming, affirming that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Awotunde cast aspersions on the $29.96bn billion loan the Federal Government intends to borrow with the remark that continual borrowing of money would impact negatively on our future and the coming generation.
He, rather, counseled the government to adopt the option of looking inward and enforce payment of tax to generate money.
He debunked the notion that Nigeria must continue to borrow, when an alternative like generating tax could be falling upon, as long as every Nigerian would be ready to co-operate including tax evaders and leaders themselves ensuring that they do not divert what they generate or mis-manage same.
The Pastor of Okota Baptist Church, Rev. Israel Jesuniyi asked the ordained deacons and deaconesses to live up to the expectation for which they were appointed into such an exalted office in the Church and ensure that their impact in carrying out their assignments also contribute to nation building
