Nigeria Content Online

Greed and a desire
to accumulate monies are factors militating against Nigeria’s
development, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday in Abuja.

The President, who
spoke during a church service yesterday at the Holy Trinity Catholic
Church, Maitama, Abuja, also described terrorism as a global trend
which Nigeria is also experiencing as part of the globe, adding that
those behind the bombings were agents of demons.

He said , though
he hated to use the word ‘corruption’ to describe Nigeria’s problem, he
has no other word to qualify the desire of the people in highly placed
positions who do all to accumulate wealth, which their children and
grandchildren won’t even exhaust.

Responding to a
request by the officiating minister,Innocent Jooji in his homily at the
Eucharist service, asking the president to ensure that professionals
were appointed into their areas of competence for greater performance,
Mr Jonathan said this was not the problem of the country.

The President used
the opportunity to tell the congregation that his administration has
put professionals in key ministries but noted that if Permanent
Secretaries and Directors, who had been long in Ministries were
committed and ready to serve the nation well, the appointment of a non
professional to a ministry will not be noticed.

“I agree that round
pegs should be put in round holes. My administration has been putting
professionals in core ministries. This is the first time that a health
professional is heading the ministry of Health, the same with some
other core ministries,” Mr Jonathan said.

“However, what
makes government to excel is not the professionalism of ministers but
their integrity. What sets us backward as a nation is greed; where one
person takes so much money that he and his grandchildren cannot finish
spending. We should not accumulate what we do not need. We will do our
best to select professionals but one thing we need is the credibility
of the leaders.”

Believe in the country

He further appealed
to Nigerians to continue to pray for the country and have more faith in
their country so that the action of detractors like those planting
bombs will not deter the country from its march to greatness.“My new
year wish for all Nigerians is that we should walk in unity and not
discriminate among ourselves, with hard work and love, our country will
be great,” he said.

Mr Jooji
reprimanded those who are canvassing for military rule, insisting that
the worst civilian regime was better than the best military
government.“If those calling for the military are having hangover, they
should go and sit down”, he said, but advised politicians to seek ways
of economic and political emancipation that will attract development.

He also counseled politicians against use of violence during the elections, pointing out that violence begets violence.