National President, Congress of Nigerian Gospel Ministers Incorporated, His Eminence, Most Rev Prof. Philip Okpanwa Akam, has stated that his members across the 36 states in Nigeria will not be joining the planned nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship, set to commence August 2024.
Prof Akam described members of his Congress as genuine Ministers of God who are peaceful and law-abiding citizens, asserting that they have no adequate reasons to participate in the organized protest against the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Akam who is also the Primate, Christ The Light Gospel Mission Incorporated made the position of the Congress known to Journalists shortly after meeting with the Anambra State Chapter of the Congress in Amawbia-Awka, on Friday July 19th, 2024.
According to him, whatever, the protest, be it peaceful or non-peaceful, we are not going to be part of it. Nobody who is a member of this Congress would participate. Members of our Churches should not participate and we should go back to our various congregations and tell them that we are not part of this type of protest that is upcoming, that we have a better option, and the option is to meet with the President and have a talk with him about his leadership style, where we think he has done it right and where we think he has not done it right, then we advised him on how best he can handle to address the challenges, because our members are also suffering from the hunger and hardship Nigerians are currently going through.
The Primate, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the way and manner the Nigerian Government is looking down on some genuine Church organisations like the Congress of Nigerian Gospel Ministers, established and Commission since 26th, March 1993 under the Military administration of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.
The government is not carrying the Churches along and which is why things are not going normal the way they should be, in a country like Nigeria blessed with all natural resources anybody can think of.
“A Church is a divine institution charged with the mandate of ensuring the peace and spiritual well-being of the society. So, our meeting with the President, I strongly believe that it will curb the challenges.”
The National President, charged the leadership of the Congress in the State not to relent in praying for peace and unity of Anambra, South East region, and the country at large.
