Monitor govt policies, CAN charges Christian leaders

Church leaders in Nigeria have been told to monitor government policies in order to enlighten their members, especially smallholder farmers.

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Archbishop Daniel Okoh, stated this at a workshop on “Climate Change Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria” with the theme: Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers and Responsive Public Policy: A Faith-based Response”.

Okoh, who is also the International Chairman of OAIC, said church leaders must pay more attention to government policies in order to enlighten church members especially smallholder farmers.

He said, “Eighty percent of the food we produce in Africa are from small holder farmers. When we talk about
insecurity, we have to talk of small holder farmers. Anything that affects them affects us including those in government.
“We must find a way to stand in the gap for them as many of them are members of our churches. We must take action, we must inspire confidence in smallholder farmers as church leaders.

“We must make our input in policy making. CAN has a powerful voice.”

He said the workshop would enable CAN engage government to highlight some issues not receiving adequate attention from government.

“The church should move closer and closer and we should have our eyes on government policies. We need to sensitise farmers on government policies.

“You may say I will help farmers but they may not even know so that even when government says palliatives, they may not even understand it”, he said.

Also, the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) called on the federal government to show more concern to the plight of smallholder farmers.

In his remarks, President of OAIC Nigeria/Prelate Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide, Elder Israel Akinadewo, said smallholder farmers were the backbone of agricultural systems, “who face an array of daunting challenges. They work tirelessly to feed our communities yet they are often confronted with limited access to resources, climate change-induced uncertainties, market volatility and social inequities”.