The Christian Association of Nigeria has said it was not longer justifiable keeping worship centres under lock and key in the wake of recent developments on the Coronavirus Disease in the country.
The President of CAN, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, said this in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Adebayo Oladeji, on Tuesday.
Ayokunle, in the statement titled: “Reopen all churches now: Enough is enough,” said based on the directives of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, there was no further justification for the closure of worship centres.
He said: “Despite the directive given by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 with regard to the reopening of places of worship nationwide, some states like Lagos and Ogun have yet to allow worship places. What sin have the places of worship committed?
“With the sudden emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, the leadership of 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.
“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 way 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? 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 divine solutions as well. CAN appeals to the Lagos, Ogun and other state governments where churches are still under lockdown to relax it for God’s sake.”