Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has urged President Bola Tinubu to take seriously the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria over the state of the country.

Kalu, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, described the Catholic bishops as the conscience of Nigeria, saying their intervention was intended to help the government improve.

The former Abia State governor spoke while reacting to the recent meeting between Tinubu and the leadership of the bishops at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The clerics had raised concerns about economic hardship, insecurity and the worsening living conditions of Nigerians.

“To me, the Catholic bishops are the conscience of the country. Once they give advice, their advice is not for or against anybody,” Kalu said.

“Their advice is for any sitting president or leader to see things the way they should be.”

Kalu acknowledged that Nigerians were experiencing economic hardship but argued that the situation could not be blamed entirely on the Tinubu administration.

He said the government had made progress at the macroeconomic level, although many citizens had yet to feel the benefits in their daily lives.

“There is difficulty in Nigeria, there is no doubt. And it is not the fault of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

“We have been able to capture the macroeconomy, and the micro is where we are having problems.”

Kalu said the bishops had a responsibility to present the true situation to the president, even when politicians and government officials might offer more favourable assessments.

“Even if we politicians are lying to him and saying things are good everywhere, the Catholic bishops can never say that,” he said.

He urged officials working with the president to carefully examine the bishops’ concerns and develop measures that would improve the lives of Nigerians.

Kalu also clarified that Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, is not the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.