Atanga Nji threatens to shutdown churches that ignore COVID-19 preventive measures

The minister of territorial administration in Cameroon says the rapid spread of COVID-19 in homes in the country in 2020 was partly because of contrary COVID-19 preventive measures preached and propagated by some pastors.

In a release signed Wednesday March 24, 2021,minister Paul Atanga Nji insist that the result of such actions have been several deaths in homes due to COVID-19.

While acknowledging that some pastors and churches have continued such preachings this year, Paul Atanga Nji says “… I have ordered the closure of all churches where the pastors don’t preach the respect of COVID-19 measures”.

He adds that pastors of such churches will equally be arrested to answer questions in front of competent judicial authorities.

In the release, the minister of territorial administration says some pastors have stopped Christians from wearing face masks, reject the treatment protocol accepted by the government and president Paul Biya while other pastors preach that COVID-19 does not exist at all.

To Paul Atanga Nji, such pastors are falsely propagating to their Christians that prayers cures COVID-19.

“Other pastors say they heal COVID-19 patients through the use of normal water presented to Christians and other followers as Holy Water,” Paul Atanga Nji adds.

To the minister, most of the churches disregarding COVID-19 measures “…do not have any legal existence in Cameroon”.

He regrets that such churches incited some students last academic year to miss their end of year examinations while resisting to wear face masks and respect other COVID-19 preventive measures on instructions of their pastors.

The decision and threat of the minister of territorial administration has been widely condemned by some pastors in Cameroon who think satanic leadership is ruling Cameroon at the moment and nothing else than the Holy Spirit can break the chain.

Mbatho Ntan.