By Okworide Simeon
The Chairman of the Lagos and Western, Mid-western/Northern Areas (LAWMNA) and national vice president of "The Apostolic Church Nigeria" and also the Chairman of the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN), Pastor Dr S.G.O. Uyeh JP, has called on governments at all levels to provide good governance for Nigerians to mitigate the suffering of the masses.
Pastor Dr Uyeh, made this call at the 49th international convention of the church in a press conference with select media houses on the 31st July, 2025 at the church international convention ground, Ketu, Lagos state.
He appealed to those in leadership positions to run away from, and eschew all atrocious cases of corruption that paints the country in bad reputation, stressing that, there appears to be a leadership deficit, given the hardship and trauma that currently pervades Nigeria today.
While laying much emphasis on the importance of good governance, Pastor Uyeh noted that, the Nigerians politicians should remember that, there would be a day of reckoning and not just about election day because on the judgement day, everyone shall stand before the judgement seat of Christ, and argued that the Lord God Almighty knows everyone's work, wether one does good or not, God knows those who are serving the people with sincerity of hearts and those who are serving to accumulate wealth for their children's children.
He urged the political class to unite and find plausible solutions to the multifarious problems millitating against the progress of the nation instead of busy fighting over "2027" that has not come. He noted that people are dying of hunger, there is much agony and misery in the land and just as insecurity remains unabated, pointing out that farmers in Benue and Plateau states respectively, widely recognized as the food baskets of the country and some states of south-west and some other states in the north east are finding it difficult to go to farm, is not encouraging.
He used the medium to call on all Nigerians irrespective of tribe or religious affiliations to wake up to the "consciousness that they have contributions to make, if Nigeria must get better.
" The church on her part will not relent in upholding and speaking the "TRUTH" and shall not relent in praying for the nation, asking God Almighty to intervene, touch the heart of the leaders and the people to always do good "
He appealed to the government to have a human face and live up to its responsibility by providing security and good governance for Nigerians and make provisions for goods and services and affordable food a priority.
Though, he observed that despite the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increase, according to report, which led to the rebasing of the economy has not been visible on the standard of living of average Nigerians, noting that the cost of living is not only high, but, it is killing the poor and the have not.
There is hardly, any productive sector of the economy that is not feeling the pain. In essence, the fundamental problem of the country appears to be defiling economic solutions and there is need for alternative way out in other major influential sphere of human living, noting that, it must not be allowed to become a pang.
"Government, therefore, must address this with love and compassion. It should listen more to the social-political aspirations of the people to stop the uneasiness and mistrust in the Land "
He used the medium to formally intimate the audience with some of the missions of the LAWMNA Territory in the past few years. He pointed out that:
"As part of the efforts to position the church to meet its calling, particularly in this age, The Lord gave us the "Raise" agenda vision at the inception of my administration "
"We have been faithfully implementing it, apart from our calling to preaching the gospel, we have been impacting the physical and material needs of the people through our prison ministry and widowed persons initiatives. We have also been providing employments for our numerous youths through our business ventures, not only at the LAWMNA Territorial headquarters, but, across many areas in Lagos metropolitan, Ibadan, Warri, etc "
Pastor S.G.O. Uyeh JP, noted that, as part of the church social responsibility, an hospital project is currently under construction and would be commissioned in no distance time.
While shedding more light on some of the policies to reform The Apostolic Church Nigeria is the new retirement age policy which at LAWMNA , they have started implementing gradually, stating that, they will be completing its final stage next year as set of ministers above 75 years will go on voluntary retirement.
"I must emphasize that I am deeply committed and I would go on retirement too, but, my responsibility is to fully oversee the implementation and that would be completing next year"