By Tunde Johnso, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the National Assembly to list all international organisations that Nigeria belongs to with a view to withdrawing her membership from those that are religious.
The call was made at a gathering of prominent Christian leaders in the country at the Shepherdhill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos where they discussed the challenges facing the church in the country.
In attendance at the meeting called by the CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle were the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the presiding bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, the general overseer, the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Archbishop Mike Okonkwo, former CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN Vice President, Prof. Otubu, CAN general secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, CAN Treasurer, Bishop Antony Anyiador, legal adviser, Barr. Samuel Kwamku, CAN youth leader, Dan Kazir among others.
The Church leaders resolved that ‘’the National Assembly should compile the list of all organizations Nigeria belongs to and all the treaties signed with a view to dropping all the religious ones.’’
They also called on the Federal Government to address the issue of breakdown of infrastructure such as roads, electricity supply, provision of adequate funding of health facilities in the nation so as to stop the untimely death of our road users and high cost of medical pilgrimage abroad.
The church leaders also declared the inability of the state governments to pay worker’s salaries and allowances as at when due as unacceptable and call on the federal and state governments to work together to achieve this.
‘’The National Assemblies to prevail on the states in the north of the country try to henceforth be issuing Certificate of Occupancy to the churches there to build their houses of worship.
‘‘We call on the government to declare the a state of emergency on the unemployment in the nation and deliberately set up machineries towards provision of employment for many school graduates who are roaming the streets or becoming a nuisance in the society through the commission of many crimes.
‘’We condemn in strong terms the failure of the security agencies to stop the murderous Fulani herdsmen from their criminal activities,’’ the Church leaders said.
The forum condemns in a strong term “the government’s decision to lead Nigeria into being member of Islamic Coalition Against Terrorism through executive fiat, Nigeria’s participation in the International Islamic Sports Federation, Nigeria’s membership of International Islamic Financial Institution of which our present Governor of the Central Bank is the chairman. Didn’t all these violate the constitution?”
