The President of the Evangelical Church of Christ Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Stephen Baba, has cautioned against complacency by the public, following the relaxation of lockdown measures in some parts of the country.
The cleric gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos, saying that becoming complacent had grave implications for the nation.
He noted that the scripture admonishes Christians to obey authority, who are constituted by God to govern the people, saying that guidelines should be adhered to during the relaxation of lockdown to control the spread of the disease.
“I think it is very obvious to everyone that the measures are enacted for the protection and good of all of us.
“COVID-19 is a reality and if we are careless about it, we will live to regret it. People should adhere to governing authority’s guidelines on the relaxation.
“Putting the guidelines in place is good because it shows that the governing authorities are sensitive to the needs of the people.
“However, the people need to be responsible in the way they live so that they would not fall victim of this terrible disease,” he said.
The president said that letters had been sent to branches of the church nationwide on guidelines on the conduct of worship during the pandemic.
Baba said the guidelines included social distancing, provision of water, soap and hand sanitisers at entrances to churches, among others.
“For now we have suspended certain things we usually do during worship such as child dedication and things that involve physical contact until the pandemic is over before,’’ ” he said.
Similarly, the Jos Resident Pastor of Shepherd House Assembly International, Rev. Tajan Moltok, warned that COVID-19 was not over, advising Nigerians to adhere to personal and environmental hygiene.
He stressed the importance of using face masks in public places and later distributed masks to members of his congregation during the church service.
