COVID-19: Archbishop Ibezim raises alarm over abuse of safety rules

ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Archbishop, Province of the Niger, Anglican Communion, and Bishop of Awka diocese, Most Reverend Alexander Chibuzor Ibezim,  on Sunday raised alarm  over  abuse of safety rules across markets and mostly in rural communities.

He cautioned that the war against the deadly Coronavirus was not  over yet , urging Nigerians to adhere strictly to the rules and directives.

 Archbishop Ibezim who spoke to newsmen  on Sunday  at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Awka Anambra state appealed to government at all levels to partner with the religious bodies  to embark on  aggressive sensitization campaigns to mobilize Nigerians to adhere  strictly to the safety precautionary measures.

According to him,  in all the rural markets, he did  observed that people were not adhering to social distancing and other precautionary rules stipulated to mitigate further spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Ibezim said, it is only God that can  saved mankind from the ravaging grips of the Coronavirus pandemic because nations with advanced hi-tech medical equipment and economy were reduced to nothing, wondering what the pandemic would have done to nations without strong health system and economy.

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He wondered why churches were shut down during Easter when there was no Coronavirus and only to be opened whe there were cases of Coronavirus.

According to ibezim, government  should  not  neglect the roles religious leaders play in mobilizing citizens because the religious bodies are closer to the people, hence the need to partner them for effective communication with their congregation at all levels.

 Ibezim said that the government was being misled to neglect the churches and mosques in fighting COVID-19 , stressing that the church remains a veritable tool for mobilisation and  educating the masses on the safety measures of COVID-19.

He  also said that most  of the measures taken  by the masses were mostly from their religious leaders who have taken time to educate their members,.

“Many of the information available in the media were not at the disposal of the rural people and most market men and women” he said.
According to him, every good policy  of the government needs an input of the religious leaders for better implementation.