THE General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, Reverend (Dr) Elijah Brown, has emphasised the need to address poverty and hunger as they affect the generality of the people.
Brown, who addressed newsmen at the Baptist World Alliance in Nigeria with the theme “To become Ambassadors of Peace,” noted that the denomination is set to deliberate on the issues of poverty and hunger as people should have access to livelihood.
He added that Baptists are also concerned about promoting peace and encouraging all people to live peacefully wherever they live.
He stated further that the Baptist denomination is investing in significant humanitarian training to make everyone adhere to scriptural injunctions.
He added that the issue of poverty and hunger has reached an alarming proportion. These need combative efforts to eradicate poverty and provide food for the people. The Baptist World Alliance according to him would focus on these issues during the conference in Nigeria.
“We are concerned about peace and justice in the continent. There are several violent conflicts and call in the various governments to address such,” he added.
Brown also underscored the need for everyone to have religious freedom as people should not be denied the opportunity to worship.
In his address, the president of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Reverend (Dr) Israel Akanji noted that with 110 years of Baptist work in Nigeria, the denomination has contributed immensely to the growth of the nation’s economy.
Akanji said the Baptist denomination in Nigeria is working tirelessly to promote peace and eliminate issues working against the interest of the nation.
The cleric also bemoaned insecurity in the nation, while calling for concerted efforts to address the issue. He mentioned the issue of the kidnapped students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, which was a terrible experience for the Baptist denomination.
According to him “We were at the mercy of the kidnappers and we had to call to rescue the students on our own.”
He asserted further that the Baptist Faith in Nigeria has also suffered severe persecution through the burning of churches and physical attacks.
Akanji appealed to the government to proffer lasting solutions to insecurity in Nigeria. He added that the State Police remains the best option to fight the insecurity in the nation.
While charging the government to address the issue of impunity, Akanji said it has become a huge problem in Nigeria.
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