The Redeemed Christian Church of God, has disclosed of plans to offer regular free healthcare to officers and men of the nation’s military, especially families of the country’s fallen heroes.
The church made the disclosure when it took its Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) outreach programme to the Mogadishu Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja, where free healthcare as well as food items were delivered to women and children.
Speaking at the occasion, Pastor in Charge of the City of David (RCCG), Abuja, Pst. Gbolade Okenla, said the gesture was in line with the vision and mandate of the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
Okenla, who observed that the Nigerian military have been doing a lot to secure the country, stated that it has become imminent to support them especially the families of those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
“We are in Mogadishu barracks on behalf of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and in line with our General Overseer’s vision, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, who has mandated us to reach out to our communities.
“We are reaching out to the Nigerian Armed Forces today, not that they need it but because we felt we are neighbours, and they have done a lot and they are still doing a lot in maintaining the territorial integrity of our nation and the least we can do in line with the vision of our general overseer is to reach out to them through our Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) programme”, he said .
While stating that it is part of the church’s responsibility to look after their neighbours, Okenla assured that the church will make the gesture a regular one and extend to other barracks in the country.
“We are going to be partnering with them” he said, “especially widows of the fallen heroes will be well taken care of in line with the mandate of our general overseer, it won’t be a one off, it would be probably once or twice in a year”.
Responding, Commandant of the Mogadishu Cantonment, Major General K. A. Isonil, commended the church for the gesture, noting that the free healthcare and welfare items are coming at a very difficult time in the country.
“I want to thank the Redeemed Christian Church of God for bringing this medical as well as welfare packages right to our doorstep, we all know how difficult it is accessing medical facilities because of the economic and other challenges in the country”, he said.
Adding that personnel in the barracks and their families would benefit greatly from the free healthcare.
While praying God to reward the church accordingly, he called on other religious bodies, organizations and individuals to join the RCCG in replicating the kind gesture.
Earlier the head of the medical team of the church and a consultant hematologist, Dr Theophilus Ado said the church had been providing medical support to vulnerable parts of the FCT where access and affordability is a challenge.
He said, “we are targeting the vulnerable, the widows or those who have lost their loved ones due to the war or insecurity and we are trying to do some welfare for them.”
He said the team has identified the common illnesses to be malaria, upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, skin illnesses, high blood pressure and diabetes and would liaise with the barracks medical facility on the follow-up of the treatment.
On of the 1000 beneficiaries of the programme, Hajia Amina Abdullahi Suleiman commended the team for their assistance.
