The Christian Association of Nigeria has made an appeal to churches in Osun State to provide food and financial aid to Osun State civil servants that are facing hardship due to non-payment of their salaries for the past seven months.
Osun State CAN Chairman, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, said this when speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Tuesday, June 9, 2015 after the CAN executives meeting of the state.
Reverend Ogundiya said that at the present time churches had to go beyond feeding their congregations with spiritual food, but should also provide the needy with physical succour.
He said, “I talk about Christians and Muslims and others who are passing through hardship in Osun State because of the non-payment of their salaries for months.
“Workers are passing through hardship and some who have retired have died because of lack of money to take care of themselves. We Christians have to emulate the action of the Good Samaritan in the Bible, who assisted somebody he should not assist ordinarily. So, we should assist our brothers and sisters.
“I urge church leaders and local government chairmen in attendance to go back home, contribute food and other items to assist all these people who are in need.
“To the government, we are appealing to the government to look for whatever means to make life beautiful for these people. We know that the problem is not peculiar to Osun State alone, but this is lingering too much. The state government should do something urgently to put smile on the faces of the workers.”
The Reverend also urged members of the association to be united in order to further propagate the gospel.
On his part the Chairman of CAN in the Osogbo Local Government Area, Rev. Adesola Olubadejo, thanked the state and national leadership of the association.
According to him “One of the challenges facing our local branch of OSLG CAN is that majority of our churches are finding it difficult to cooperate with CAN by attending meetings and paying their dues.
“We shall be grateful if heads of churches can encourage their members to participate more by giving what is CAN’s to CAN regularly and faithfully.”
The Winners’ Chapel, Osogbo’s Pastor Olumuyiwa Emmanulel, on Sunday, June 7, 2015 made an appeal to members of the church to donate foodstuffs and money for distribution to unpaid civil servants within the congregation.
