Kogi - Friday 2, April 2021: Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has approved for Christians the administering of AstraZeneca vaccine that is available in the country to combat the deadly coronavirus, adding that the virus is real.

The Chairman of CAN, Kogi chapter, Bishop John Ibenu, made this known on Friday in Lokoja, when officials of Kogi State Ministry of Health and Kogi Primary Health Care Development Agency paid him an advocacy visit preparatory to receiving COVID-19 vaccines in the state.

During the visit, the State CAN chairman urged the people of the state to take the vaccine.

He said a stakeholder meeting between CAN National President, His Eminence Dr Ayokunle Samson, the Minister of Health, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, NAFDAC and others came to the conclusion that COVID-19 is real.

He added that it was concluded that it was safe to take the vaccine.

Ibenu stated that “We listened to many presentations by professionals and we carried out our own investigation and concluded that the vaccine is beneficial to mankind and that everyone should accept it.”

He assured Nigerians that CAN would be the number one body to stand against anything that could harm anyone.

He stressed that it was against the international standard and health practice to introduce anything that would be harmful to humanity, saying, “CAN will never be part of anything that will be harmful to humanity.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe; there is no trick in it; please let us not be left behind.’

 “It is for the benefit of humanity and we certify it to be okay for everybody,’’ he stressed.

The cleric expressed gratitude to Kogi State government under the leadership of Gov. Yahaya Bello, for all it had done to save lives in the state since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bishop commended the Ministry of Health and the governor in particular for being very open and practical in handling the issue of COVID-19 from the onset.

“As far as COVID-19 is concerned, the Kogi government has taken the most pragmatic approach in addressing the situation from Day One of the virus,’’ Ibenu said.

Earlier, Alhaji Acheku Yusuf, Kogi State Health Promotion Officer, said the visit was on the mandate of Kogi government to seek CAN’s support on COVID-19 vaccination.

He said that Kogi was expected to receive COVID-19 vaccines very soon, and CAN would be needed as one of the critical stakeholders to educate the people.

“We want your support in educating people in Kogi to accept the vaccine, but we must not force anybody to take it,’’ Yusuf said.