 The Catholic Archbishop of Cardona State, most reverend, Mathieu Ndagosu, as tax Nigerian political leaders, public office holders at all levels across the country to utilize the nation's natural resources for the common good of humanity and development of the nation. The Archbishop made the call at the investiture to confer purple honors to 19 Catholics, Catholic faithfuls for their dedication, contributions, and service to humanity in Cardona State. The clerics said Nigerians are poor because the resources meant for over 200 million citizens have been pocketed by individual politicians for personal and selfish interests, noting that economic hardship is hitting Nigerians hard. Nigeria, as a country, has no business being poor. Nigerians are going to bed hungry, given the resources God has blessed this country with. I mean, what don't we have? I mean, natural resources, one of the most fertile soils, vast lands in the country, for how many years, for over 63 years, we've been drilling oil, and that would be making billions and trillions of, I mean, there's no reason why, you know, what is absent is the common good. People do not put the common good, you know, when you are in an office, and you know, you don't just think of yourself, you think of what can I do with the resources of the federation, of the state, of the local government, you know that in your hands, in my hands, to be used for the common good. He lamented the high level of insecurity of public office holders whose selfish interests has led to the nation, led the nation into an impoverished state, urging government to rise to its primary responsibility to ensure the evidence of democracy to the citizenry. The former minister of environment, Honorable Laurentia Laraba, who was conferred Dame of St. Gregory, the great, says service to humanity should be the first priority while calling on individuals in and out of public service to continue to render assistance for the development of the nation. The church doesn't operate in a vacuum. The church operates in society. As a matter of fact, the people that the church looks after are the same people that the government looks after, isn't it? So we are the way we are, you know? And so the challenge today for me and for any other church leader and any leader, what do I, what the name, is the fact that your subjects, your congregation, they are going hungry. You see them going hungry and there's nothing you can do about it, simply because our resources have not been put to proper use. That is why people are where they are. This is one of the biggest challenges that all the leaders today, you know, are facing. Service to humanity, like I said, I was not doing what I did that gave me this award for anybody to celebrate or to appreciate me. Right from the word go, since I was born, I started my life reaching out to those I can reach out to the poor and the... Hello. Hope you enjoyed the news. Please do subscribe to our YouTube channel and don't forget to hit the notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates.