CAN Advocates Tripartite Partnership With Govt, Security Agencies To Tackle Insecurity
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rivers State Chapter, has advocated a tripartite agreement among the churches, security agencies and the government in its proactive measures to tackle the insecurity ravaging the state.
Speaking exclusively with this medium during the weekend in Port Harcourt, the Chairman, Dr. Stanley Dimkpa, stated that in as much as the Rivers State government has been trying in tackling the insecurity challenges, it is necessary the government collaborates effort with the churches and the security agencies to ensure total eradication of the menace.
He said that: “This can be done through the provision of empowerment and logistics support to the derailed youths to ensure their self-reliance in the society”.
He made it clear that while the churches are mainly preaching the words for the repentance of the youths, it is also necessary the church leaders are supported with logistics and finance to follow up on empowerment programmes to keep the youths busy and self-reliant.
On the crisis over the alleged demolition of a mosque in Rivers State, Dr. Dimkpa said that it was an unnecessary discrepancy caused by the allocation agent of the piece of land.
According to him, “though the leadership of the mosque showed clear evidences of all legitimate government approvals prior to the commencement of the construction of the mosque but the reason for the demolition of the ongoing mosque construction should equally be considered in the interest of all”.
The CAN chairman said that though the angry Muslim youths he met at the scene of the demolition claimed the demolition was a deliberate attempt to achieve 100% Christian State in Rivers State, even though two churches close to same venue were affected, he did not agree with those who share that view.
He said: “The information from the Rivers State Government angle claimed that the said portion of land belongs to the government but the discrepancies were caused by the government agencies who approved the papers for perhaps pecuniary reasons”.
The CAN chairman and Islamic leaders used the opportunity to appeal to the Muslim followers to be law abiding and follow all due processes to channel their protest as according to them, the Rivers State government could not have any ulterior motives since other mosques built years ago are still standing and that even Muslim worshippers do closed some streets on Fridays for their worship to show the extent of tolerance of the Rivers State government to other religions.
Apostle Dimkpa who was the chairman, planning committee of the just concluded “Baba Aladura Youth Conference (BAYOC ’19) called on other churches to emulate the example of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (ESOCS) in ensuring that youths in the society are properly groomed to effectively contribute their quota in the development of the society.
Apostle Dimkpa said: “We can achieve peace in the country when the youth population who are leaders of tomorrow are properly sensitized, directed and built up.
Addressing the participants at the occasion, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim who represented Governor Nyesom Wike expressed delight that the church chose to hold their convention in the state, stressing that the fact that the leader of the church, His Most Eminence, David D.L. Bob-Manuel (Baba Aladura IX) is a son of the state is a source of pride to the government.
He challenged the youths to strive to keep the right company, shun cultism and related crimes in the society.
Governor Wike through his representative expressed confidence that the youths will take the conference as a pathway to eternal life and enrichment of knowledge, stressing the need to imbibe the right values of hardwork and dedication in their callings.
