Government can’t employ more than 5% of citizens – Bishop Kukah



Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev’d
Matthew Hassan Kukah yesterday disclosed that it
is impossible for the federal government to employ
more than five per cent of the nation’s population.
The activist priest, who spoke at the opening
ceremony of the Third National Mission
Congress of Nigeria,
in Abuja, noted that no government in the
world provides employment to all its citizens.
He urged Nigerians from all walks of life to
contribute meaningfully to the development of
the
country.
Stressing that, “There is no country
that employs five per cent of its population, or
even 10 per cent,” he noted that “many states
in Nigeria with a population of about 6-7
million, employ between 30-60,000 civil
servants, including
ghost workers. So, it is clear that no
government can employ its entire people.”

He stressed that since nobody was born a
government officer or political office holder,
Nigerians should to be hard working, adding
that it was wrong to assume that one
must either be president, governor, and local
government chairman before exercising
leadership. He stressed that the youth should
particularly help in making the nation greater.
He said, “Office holding sometimes is purely
by accident, or appointment. For instance, out
of 170 million Nigerians, only one can be
president at a time.”
“So, the assumption that if you are
not holding a public office, you cannot
exercise leadership is wrong.
“Even the President cannot turn his son into
something without his cooperation. You have
heard of some leaders whose children ought
to be in prisons as they have been involved in
crimes and criminality,” he added.
Also at speaking, a former Attorney-General
and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi charged
participants to always pray for the nation,
asserting that Nigeria exists because of the
prayers of the people.
He however assured that the patriotic spirit of
good spirited Nigerians will continue to
protect it from disintegration.