Clerics caution FG against rush for COVID-19 vaccine

The Senior Pastor, Knowledge of the Truth Ministries, Joshua Omada, and the General Overseer, Chapel of Freedom Ministries, Bishop John Ibenu, have urged the Federal Government not to rush for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.

Speaking with The Guardian in Abuja yesterday, the two clerics were critical of government’s haste to get the vaccine, arguing that same effort was not put in the fight against the deadlier Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and cancer.

The Federal Government had said it needed N400 billion to vaccinate 70 per cent of Nigerians against COVID-19. Omada and Ibenu warned the government not to play to the gallery for some selfish interests over the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The truth is that the world is on divine rail; God is in charge. So, any interference not rooted in God would not last.

“We are yet to be clear on a number of things about COVID-19. I earlier tried to mention that it is like some people wanted to alter the order of the world,” Omada said.

Ibenu, who is the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman in Kogi State, said: “Coronavirus is a virus and should be treated like every other virus. Contrary to insinuations that the death rate would be very high in Nigeria and Africa, God has been very merciful to us. We cannot leave the main medical practice and face only coronavirus.

“If we strengthen the existing healthcare system and everything is working very well, COVID-19 will take care of itself. Once all those are done, our immune system will take care of coronavirus.”