CAN President Charges Church Leaders to Monitor Govt’s Policies

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, yesterday, called on church leaders across the country to pay greater attention to government policies in order to enlighten members especially smallholder farmers.

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

The CAN President, who was also the International Chairman of OAIC, spoke at a workshop on “Climate Change Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria” themed: Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers and Responsive Public Policy: A Faith-based Response.”

He said church leaders must pay more attention to government’s policies in order to enlighten church members especially smallholder farmers.

“Eighty per cent of the food  we produce in Africa are from smallholder farmers. When we talk about insecurity, we have to talk of smallholder 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, maintaining that the workshop would enable CAN engage government to highlight some issues not receiving adequate attention from it.

“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.

Meanwhile, the OAIC has 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.

He said the are the ones, “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.”