The Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) has urged the Federal Government to immediately lift the ban on religious activities in the country by re-opening churches and mosques locked down over the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The Executive Secretary/CEO, CCFN, Dr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina, made the call yesterday in Abuja during a press conference on “Taking Responsibility for the Future of our Environment in the Quest for Fullness of Life for all, marking the 5th Anniversary of the Encyclical Lautlato Si of Pope Francis!”.
Daily Trust reports that Laudato si is the second encyclical of Pope Francis, where he critiques consumerism, irresponsible development, environmental degradation and global warming, and calls for urgent and unified global action.
Obodoechina said that, it is unacceptable that the government that partially re-open markets, banks and offices among others placed restrictions on religious activities.
“Churches and Mosques should be allowed to be re-opened so that they can intensify prayers, as neither medicine, pharmacology and all that is helping us. So, we must go back to God and allowed the leaders of the churches and mosques to cater for their people, by putting in place requirements for protection,” Obodoechina said.
He also urged the government to lift all travel restriction very soon as being done by other nations across the world.
On the environmental degradation in the society, he said that today more than ever before, the reality of climate change, environmental degradation and other ecological hazards have become evident in and around everyone.