A cleric Prophet Godwin Nkiru of Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry, Egbeda, Akowonjo, Lagos has harped on the need for public-spirited individuals to help in alleviating the untold hardship suffered by the masses due to the from fuel subsidy removal.
According to the Church head-Prophet Nkiru, the motive behind the decision of the ministry to give out free fuel to the residents of the state is to bring succour in at a time when prices of essential commodities are clearly skyrocketing.
Chatting with newsmen during the flag-off of the free fuel distribution by the ministry at Blue Shore Oil & Gas, Ikeja, Lagos, the cleric urged Nigerians to bear with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, saying that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Nkiru, who was a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) in Lagos State, said that it was imperative for him to support what the government is doing and come to the aid of the masses at the same time.
“You can see what is happening here today, we are giving fuel palliatives to everybody around. We are using it to help the poor Nigerians until fuel goes back to normal price.
“We will continue to support the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I thank the Lagos State Government and the President for their efforts so far,” he said.
The cleric revealed that they had been able to give fuel to over 1,000 people, and that they gave motorcycles three litres each and vehicles five litres each, adding that they would be spending over one million naira to give people free fuel in one day.
While saying that the project is being financed by the church due to the love they have for the people and the government, Prophet Nkiru stated that the church would continue to do their best to make sure that the government succeeds.
He said: “The President said that we should cooperate with him and I appeal to every well-meaning Nigerian to do this because we are one. It’s going to be a regular occurrence from us.
“We in our church felt that this is a way of helping the government and getting across to the people.
“The President has plans for the people so they should be patient with him. There is a big hope, let us just work together.
“This is one of the hopes and a bigger hope is on the way for Nigerians.
“The President is a man of ideas, a man of the people and a man that would do the best for the people. We are not expecting anything in return, we are only doing our own to help the masses.”
One of the recipients, Mr. Emmanuel Ikwe, who spoke in an interview, thanked the ministry for the gesture, and urged other rich Nigerians to follow suit.
Ikwe, a commercial bus driver, said that the five litres of fuel would enable him carry passengers on three trips from Ikeja to Alausa Secretariat.
“I’m happy with the gesture. May God bless the people behind this. We want the government to help us because the sufferings are much. I also want to appeal to rich Nigerians to do what this ministry is doing,” he said.
Also speaking, a commercial motorcycle (okada) rider, Mr. Ibrahim Sunmonu, thanked the church for the gesture and prayed that God will continue to bless them.
Sunmonu however, appealed to the Federal Government to repair the moribund refineries, saying that this will help reduce the high cost of fuel in the country.
In her words of commendation, Alhaja Rukayat Adeola, a motorist, thanked the ministry and urged the Federal Government to find a way of reducing the hardship inflicted on the masses.