Policy Briefs

The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 18 Anambra elections, Mr. Oseloka H. Obaze, on Sunday repeated his call for an intrusive partnership between the state and missions. Obaze said the two institution can work together to address critical needs of the society, especially in areas of education, healthcare delivery and social welfare.
Obaze repeated this call at Holy Ghost Cathederal, Enugu shorthly after he was installed as one of the Pillars of the Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province of the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria. Obaze observed that while the Constitution calls for a separation of the church and state, such provisos, did not preclude both entities working together to achieve common good and for the benefit of the society.

According to him, the state can partner with missions to provide qualitative and affordable education. He restated his commitment to making a 26% budgetary allocation to education, and devoting 10% of the recommended amount to mission-run and private schools, if elected.

Obaze said the immense deficits the society continues to experience in the area of healthcare delivery can be abridged if the state devotes more resources to support mission-run hospitals. He said such moves will help broaden the provision of affordable and quality healthcare delivery to the masses.

The PDP candidate said any healthy society must show a duty of care to the needy, poor and the vulnerable. He said he has plans of revitalising the Anambra Social Welfare Scheme through which the state makes a monthly cash transfer to people who are 75 years and above but do not have pension or retirement income.

Thanking the Provincial Chaplain of the Council, Very Rev. Fr. Benjamin Mbata, and the leadership of the council for finding him well deserving of the honour bestowed on him, Obaze said he was humbled by such gesture.

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