The Minister, at a meeting with the leaders of the Christian and Muslim faith today, March 28, said: “religious organisations should be in the forefront for humanitarian activities, particularly if the situation escalates to a point where there is the need for massive support for the poor and the vulnerable members of the society.”
Muhammad Musa Bello said said that the traditional institutions and religious leaders have organized structures that can be used and mobilized towards providing palliatives that will ease the problems of the poorer members of the communities.
He said that as part of resolutions reached during the meeting, religious, traditional and political leaders will galvanize and mobilize individuals of means within the communities “so that we can create a very wide structure of safety net for our poor people”.
“For us to really fight this pandemic, every person has to be disciplined to comply with the regulations of periodic and constant handwashing with soap and water and alternatively, hand sanitizers.”
The minister said that the religious leaders agreed that it was imperative in these uncertain times to intensify prayers for divine intervention in the face of the COVID 19 pandemic.
“We have also agreed that in times like this, prayers are paramount. So, we are appealing to all residents and citizens of the FCT to continue to pray to God Almighty for us to get over this pandemic. The leaders of the two religious groups have assured us that they will use their internal network to encourage individual prayers by their followers wherever they are, based on already established protocol for such prayers by all the religious organisations”
In attendance were the FCT Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Samson Jonah; Chairman, FCT League of Imams Dr. Tajudeen Adigun; former AMAC Chairman, Hon. Zaphaniah Jisalo, other religious leaders as well as senior members of the FCTA management.
