Prayer Sessions Aimed at Preventing Premature Deaths, Not Agricultural Policies, Says Agric Ministry
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, on Saturday, elucidated that the Human Resource Management Department’s internal circular regarding prayer sessions was intended to address the recent untimely and successive demise of the Ministry’s management staff.
This was articulated in a statement penned by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Assistant Director of the Information Department, on behalf of the Director of Information, dated June 14, 2025.
The statement elucidated that the staff found it appropriate to also pray for the nation.
The statement partially reads, “The Ministry’s attention has been drawn to the internal circular from the Human Resource Management Department being disseminated by online media. In this regard, the Ministry wishes to inform that the prayer session is an initiative of the Human Resource Department to enhance the well-being of the staff, akin to the monthly aerobic exercises and the establishment of a gymnasium within the Ministry for physical fitness, as well as the regular medical check-ups for staff health.
“The prayer session was conceived to alleviate the anxiety among staff due to the recent untimely and successive deaths of management personnel. Staff also found it fitting to pray for the nation, hence the theme of the prayer sessions ‘Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development.’
“It is imperative to stress that this is NOT an official policy by the Ministry to address agriculture and food security matters in the country, but rather a response to the concerns of staff who are apprehensive following the demise of some colleagues recently.”
Furthermore, the statement asserted that the Minister and Minister of State of Agriculture and Food Security have been diligently working to bolster food security under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the past two years, with positive outcomes achieved; thus, any online reports seeking to tarnish the Ministry’s reputation should be dismissed.
In conclusion, the statement reiterated, “The Ministry wishes to underscore that the prayer session is an internal initiative by staff to address concerns over sudden deaths within the Ministry and is not intended to replace or diminish the commendable efforts and accomplishments of the Ministry and other stakeholders in ensuring food security in the Nation.”
