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Lalong tasks Church as conscience of society

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By DUMAH RANDONG

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State said the Church was the conscience of the society and as such, it should not relent in providing the direction to the citizens.

He also urged Christians and the Church to rise in defense of what is right and not to adopt the I don’t care attitude to issues that affect their rights in the country.

Governor Lalong who spoke through his deputy, Professor Sonni Tyoden at the 103rd General Church Council, GCC, the highest decision-making body of the Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN, holding from the 22nd -26th May, at the Church’s headquarters in Jos.

In what could be described as a valedictory speech, Governor Lalong stated that his administration will be interacting with the Church for the last time and appreciated the increasing participation of the Church on national issues, urging it to continue to speak up not until things were the way they wanted.

Governor Lalong maintained that the Church should not remain quiet when it was supposed to talk and called for the same synergy between his administration and the Church to be extended to the incoming government.

He described as unfortunate, the recent killings in Mangu LGA, noting that it has posed a greater challenge not only to Plateau State but the country and said all hands must be on deck to end the crisis.

In a welcome speech, COCIN President, Rev Dr Amos Mohzo noted that the security and economic challenges in the country have affected every aspect of the nation’s life and said it was incumbent upon Nigerians to work together towards finding lasting solution.

While speaking on the state of the nation, the COCIN President said incessant killings, kidnapping, and destruction of property by Fulani terrorrists in communities across the country, particularly in Southern Kaduna, Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom in Plateau and other states were a source of concern.

The attacks according to him were targeted at Christians and blamed the government for failing in its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all citizens regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or any other factor. He noted that the recent attack on communities in Mangu LGA where many innocent people were brutally butchered, and churches/houses burnt to ashes was a calculated move and condemned it in its totality.

The government, he said must address the root causes of these attacks including the issue of land grabbing by Fulani terrorists and take steps to ensure peaceful coexistence between all Nigerian communities despite religious differences. And said in line with the Church’s theme for the year, which is seeking the peace of the land, all must work together as a nation to address the issue and make the country safe and secure for all.

He urged the traditional rulers to wake up to their responsibility as leaders of their respective communities by ensuring a harmonious coexistence within communities and expressed readiness of the Church to collaborate with the traditional institution to bring sanity to the communities.

The COCIN President who spoke extensively on the progress of the Church, said it has resolved to strengthen mission activities in South -South and South-East, adding that all the Provincial Church Councils, PCs and some groups in the Church have agreed to send pastors to the mission fields. While on Mission to Nations, he said the Church in the United Kingdom was doing well with Rev Kefas Tang’an as the overseer.

He said the Church plans to visit its mission field in Tanzania before the end of the year just as he disclosed that the Church is to review the criteria for the creation of new Regional Church Council, RCC. This is as a result of the new RCCs created. It plans to set up its telecast. This is in view of the technological advancement taking place and called on the church workers to work towards the realisation of this objective.

On the Karl Kumm University update, Mohzo disclosed that the National Universities Commission, NUC has given approval for a Faculty of Science and Computing Gindiri and directed that the 2022/2023 academic session be commenced at the Permanent site of the university in Vom.

He added that the Board of Trustees of KKU resolved that the Remedial Programme will commence Science and Computing at the second campus, Gindiri. In the light of this, the GCC meeting will discuss and resolve against the previous authorisation to commence the second campus if they could meet the requirements.

 

 

 

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