South East CAN seeks reopening of worship centres nationwide

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has demanded to reopen of various worship centres that have been shut down across the country as part of measures to check the spread of coronavirus.

Leaders of CAN in the South East stated in Enugu that the Church should not remain closed forever, as it remained a place of hope for the people, especially when every other solution to the pandemic seemed to have eluded nations.

South East Chairman of CAN, Dr. Goddy Okafor said, “From feelers around the globe, it is glaring that the solution to the virus is in God’s hands.

“While we appreciate the efforts being put in place by various governments to solve the problem, we must stress that God should be consulted at this point in time.

“We have seen that even the so-called world powers have melted in the face of this epidemic and this leaves us with one option, but to seek the face of God. Prayer is the answer and key to this problem.

“To this end, we call on the government to reopen worship centres and allow the people the opportunity of gathering together to pray unto God. During such a period, Churches would take adequate measures to maintain social distancing by limiting the number of worshipers at a time, as well as providing items for social hygiene. This is the only way out of this global confusion.”

While condemning the recent fire incident at the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF’s) office, it urged an urgent and discreet investigation into the incident, adding, “This is one incident too many and we ask that a proper investigation be carried out to ensure that there are no under-current dealings.

“It should not just be dismissed as just another fire-outbreak considering allegations of sleaze currently trending in the face of Federal Government’s palliatives,” he added.

Besides, the Police in Enugu have cautioned its officers to desist from extortion, brutality and other forms of misconduct against residents while enforcing the coronavirus restriction orders imposed by the state government.

In a statement, Commissioner of Police (CP), Ahmad Abdurrahman, warned that reports of such attitude would not be treated lightly, insisting that officers should exhibit a high sense of professionalism and avoid arbitrary use of their discretional powers, while enforcing the orders.