As the controversy generated by the new provisions introduced into the CAMA LAW 2020 by the government rages, a renowned legal practitioner, Barrister Chukwuma Ezeala has called for the creation of a special Commission to address possible disputes that may arise from registered organizations. Such a Commission, he believes, would give all stakeholders a sense of belonging, knowing that they would enjoy fair hearing should there be any dispute to be dealt with.
The controversial CAMA Act introduced by the Corporate Affairs Commission and signed into law by President Muhammodu Buhari empowers the Corporate Affairs Commission to suspend Board of Trustees, including those of Churches suspected to have mismanaged its finance and appoint interim managers to manage their affairs. But according to Barr Ezeala, a way out of the disagreement is for a well articulated procedure for dispute resolution to be put in place before the Board of any Church organizations, NGO or corporate body can be asked to step down.
“The way out, I think, is for the creation of a Commission made up of representatives of the major stakeholders such as the Christian Associaton of Nigeria, CAN, Muslim body, NGO, Civil Society and Federal Government. Those who feel aggrieved by the actions or inactions of the Board of Trustees of their organizations can forward their petitions to the Commission for appraisal. Members of the Commission in turn would examine all the issues brought before it and thereafter make recommendations to the Court for judicial seal of approval.”
Where were Christian legislators during the debate of this bill and its passage in the National Assembly? I blame Christian legislators for doing nothing and allowing the passage of the 2020 CAMA Act. Government should focus and monitor its ministries, agencies and other government institutions where it budgets billions of Naira annually and not church offerings. Had it been that government gave allocations to churches and decided to monitor its usage, nobody will question government
Government should as a matter of urgency withdraw the law and amend it, since the 2020 CAMA posed a threat to churches in the country. It is unfair that the church is grouped among Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, in the country that should be monitored and controlled by the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. The most annoying part of it is that the act empowers the CAC to suspend board of trustees including those of churches suspected to have mismanaged its finance and appoint interim managers to manage their affairs. If this law is implemented, what it means is that churches in the country have been reduced to ordinary secular organizations.
