COVID 19 VACCINE: CAN EXPRESSES FEARS
– Warns church leaders on 2023 politics
Controversies surrounding COVID 19 vaccines have hit Akwa Ibom State as well as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Akwa Ibom Chapter, has warned against the administration of the vaccines unless some grey areas were ironed out. Raising the questions on the reliability of the vaccines last week, the General Secretary of CAN, Bishop Emmanuel Ebitu, asked that the vaccines be treated with caution so as not to further endanger the health of Akwa Ibom citizens who are mainly Christians.
Speaking to QuestNews24 Editor, Bishop Ebitu said: “We are very scared of the vaccine that has been brought into the State. We want to be sure of the standard and management of the vaccine because some government agencies can easily compromise the standards and instructions regarding the administration of the vaccine, which could make what was supposed to be for good health, harmful to the health of our people.”
He said his fear was anchored on the global outcry over the side effects of the vaccine, which has made some countries suspend its administration to citizens, warning that the suspicion over the vaccine and particularly its questionable safety on people, was enough indication for Akwa Ibom State to tread with caution. He stated further that, “information around the world is not projecting the vaccine as a means to bringing to an end the sickness.”
According to him, some questions regarding the reliability of the vaccine were begging for answers. “Exactly what the vaccine will do is unclear. Will it heal the infected person or boast immune system to protect against infection of Covid-19? When someone is vaccinated, does that means the person will not be reinfected even if in contact with COVID 19 virus? Does the vaccine remain permanently in the person’s body for the purpose of fighting COVID 19 virus? Is the vaccine another way of creating a defensive wall against the virus? These are the questions the Church is asking, he said.
He advised government not to be in a haste to apply the vaccine on the citizens until the haze over its safety globally wear out. To ensure that the State remains safe from the pandemic, Ebitu advised citizens to continue to observe the COVID 19 prevention protocols. He commended the Church for complying with government directives on COVID 19, particularly during the lockdown and hoped that the state will not experience a spike, as happening in other parts of the world.
Bishop Ebitu also caution church fathers against getting involved in the politics of 2023 gubernatorial race, as it was too early. He said CAN was against any Christian group endorsing any candidate for governorship seat, as it would create disaffection in the body. He called on church leaders to only pray and wait for God to choose a successor at the right time. His words: “It will be wrong for any of the church leaders to decide who should be candidate for next election. This will cause confusion as other candidates would feel slighted in the process. The church fathers should learn from the governor who himself has said over and over that he has no successor in mind and has also promised not to impose anyone on the citizens. So, if the governor himself has taken this position, why then should we choose anyone without first seeking the mind of God.”
