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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed its displeasure over insistence by some state governance to sustain its ban on religious gathering, despite the Federal Government’s approval for the relaxation of the restrictions.
Recall the federal government had lifted the ban on worship centres as part of its phased reopening of the economy, but some states government, including Lagos and Ogun, insisted on keeping it shut due to the rise in the number of coronavirus cases in their states.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Adebayo Oladeji on Tuesday, CAN President, Samson Ayokunle said the continued closure of worship centres is “no longer acceptable and reasonably justified”.
Ayokunle, wondering why some of the state governments in the country have refused to lift the ban on religious gathering in their states, despite reopening markets, asked, “What sin have the places of worship committed?”
He claimed that churches have a role to play in seeking divine solutions to the pandemic.
“With the sudden emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), at all levels, agreed with the government on the need to close down the places of worship, economy, schools and every other facet of life,” said the CAN president.
“But with the reopening of the economy, especially the markets (both organised and the unorganised markets) along with the plan to reopen airports and schools, the closure of churches anywhere in the country is no longer tenable and acceptable.
“In what ways are the opened and roadside markets more organised than the church which warranted their opening? Is it not our members in the places of worship that do go to markets and other sectors opened? “Why are they allowed to go to markets and disallowed from going to places of worship?
“Is it because the marketers cannot contract the virus in the markets and airports? “It is our opinion that while the government and other relevant stakeholders are working hard to get a cure for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church too has a role to play by seeking for divine solutions as well.”
As at Tuesday night, A total of 29,879 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, 12,108 patients have been discharged while death toll now stands at 669.
