Gabon’s Gloom Following 2023 Coup has Disappeared: Catholic Bishop

The military leaders said that before such elections, the sovereign people of Gabon will meet in a national dialogue in April 2024 to, among other things, adopt the transition plan.

Speaking to Agenzia Fides in the March 6 report, Bishop Ondo Eyene called for cautiousness despite the country’s calm situation.

The Bishop of Oyem Diocese who doubles as the president of the Episcopal Conference of Gabon (CEG) also appealed for appropriate use of the country’s mineral resources, saying, “Gabon needs to bring order to the management of its oil resources, which are a gift from God that must benefit the majority of the population.”

The 64-year-old Bishop who has been at the helm of the Gabonese diocese since his Episcopal ordination in May 2000 lamented that some families in the country have benefited from the oil revenues more than others.

He, however, expressed confidence in the ongoing initiatives to ensure equitable sharing of oil proceeds, saying, “There is an ongoing debate about how to better distribute oil wealth.”

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“The new Head of State is trying to do this by initiating new projects to build infrastructure, housing, schools, and hospitals,” the local ordinary of Gabonese Oyem Diocese said. 

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.