…wants govt. to channel donated funds to health sector
By CHUKS EKE
The Patriarch of Parousian Church of Christ, Jide Okorji has maintained that the Novel Corona virus pandemic has taught Christians that God does not require magnificent Cathedrals to be worshiped but sincere people willing to worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
The Prelate, a legal practitioner who disclosed this at his law chambers in Onitsha during an interactive session with newsmen on the lessons of Covid 19, suggested that both the Federal and State governments should channel more of the funds donated by individuals and corporate organizations to fight Covid 19 towards improving the health facilities in the country.
According to Okorji, “Corona virus pandemic is so terrible that it has mounted pressure on everybody, everything and every country to the extent that no person can be said to be a winner yet”.
“During the lockdown, people could not do business, access the bank, access new clients or hold any social function, children have been at home eating and playing. Some States are more hit than others. There is global economic meltdown, crude oil has plummeted. Exchange rate has gone hopeless: about 455 naira to a dollar”.
“Worshippers could not access their places of worship. Even the Vatican city has to close down in an Easter period. It is only in this lockdown period that people realized that you don’t need a cathedral to worship God. God said that he does not dwell in buildings built by man”.
“God has never separated himself from man but man has separated himself from God. Jesus said in John 4:21,23 that a time is coming when men will say God is in this mountain or that place. But true worshippers shall worship him in Spirit and Truth”.
“That is what we teach in Parousian Church of Christ.That is the difference between our denomination and others. God demands true worship in Spirit and Truth, developing a special relationship with God”, said Okorji.
Moreover, the Parousian Church leader noted that the pandemic has revealed the backwardness of Nigerian healthcare delivery system urging government at all levels to channel a major chunk of the COVID 19 donated funds towards updating the health facilities.
“Our health facilities are not up to date.We heard that both World Health Organization, WHO and International Monetary Funds, IMF donated huge sums of money. We are still waiting to feel the impact. Let government provide more hospitals, testing centers, and improve the few ones we have”, he stated.
