Recession: Quit building cathedrals, build farms – cleric tells churches

A Pentecostal Bishop, Dr Ngozi Durueke, has called on religious organisations to establish commercial agricultural ventures to tackle hunger and high unemployment rate in Nigeria.

He said that food insecurity and rising unemployment were key indicators of the current economic recession saying, until urgent steps are taken, the problem will continue to linger.

Durueke, who spoke to newsmen on Sunday in Owerri said: “Religious organisations should for now suspend the construction of cathedrals and big churches, and establish big farms to assist in providing foods and jobs to Nigerians.

“Rather than task already suffering members of your church to raise money for construction of cathedrals, and big churches, mega livestock ventures and farms to employ jobless people and provide food for the hungry should be established.”

Durueke, a varsity don turned cleric, added that survival from economic recession must not be left for government and  the private sector alone, noting that religious bodies should as well think economic.