Professor Yemi Osinbajo, gives a speech virtually at the NBA Annual
General Conference on August 27, 2020.
Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has said that
the major concern of religious leaders with the recently enacted
Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 is the fear that the
processes are not abused in a way that compromises the entire
structure and operation of the organisation
Professor Osinbajo who spoke during the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA) Annual General Conference on Thursday stated that these
leaders want to be accountable, contrary to views based on
reactions to a section of the act.
He maintained that the CAMA 2020 is massive legislation that
covers a wide range of issues on companies and if a section is
contentious, what the aggrieved parties can do is to approach the
National Assembly and propose an amendment.
“As a general position, I do not think it will be right to say
that pastors don’t want to be accountable. I believe that several
Christian organizations and pastors are willing to be accountable.
The problem that they may have is ensuring that processes are not
abused in such a way as to compromise the entire organization. And
I think that if all that is required is some process of
accountability, I think it will be easier for organizations to
accept that.
“The concern of the Churches is that it could lead to a
situation where practically anybody could be appointed as a trustee
to oversee the Church and a Church or a Mosque is a spiritual
organization and if you do not share the same faith with the Church
or Mosque, you may be the wrong person and if a wrong is appointed,
you may create more trouble for the organization.
“What can be done is that, whatever the proposal for amendment
may be, whatever the views of the leadership of the church may be,
regarding the question of how the trustees, whether they are
interim trustees or not, can be put in the form of a proposal that
will be taken to the National Assembly for consideration for an
amendment to the law, that is the process which is entirely opened
and ought to be pursued,” the Vice President added.
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CAMA Fears
President Muhammadu Buhari signed the CAMA bill into law in
August, repealing and replacing the extant 1990 act, with the aim
that the new legislation will be the most significant in three
decades, promoting the ease of doing business, while reducing
regulatory hurdles in the country.
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However, a portion of the legislative piece tagged Incorporated
Trustees, states that religious bodies and charity organisations
will now be strictly regulated by the Registrar-General of the
Corporate Affairs Commission and the supervising minister.
Additional clauses in the act show that the commission can
suspend the trustees of an association and appoint an interim
manager to run the affairs of the organisation
But Vice President Osinbajo clarified that the section will
affect these organisations; “Churches, Mosques, and church
organizations are regarded as charities. It is the Incorporated
Trustees Section of the Companies and Allied Matters Act that has
become controversial. And because churches are charities, the
provisions in the incorporated trustees’ section obviously affect
the churches.
“What the Churches are concerned about is a provision that says
that in the event that some wrong-doing is found to be perpetrated
by the trustees of the particular organization or Church, the
Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) can go
to court and get an order to appoint interim administrators or
interim trustees for the Church or whichever charity organization
and manage the organization.”
C.A.N Talks Tough
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) kicked against the act and called on President Buhari
to suspend the law in the interest of the country.
“While we are not against the government fighting corruption
wherever it may be found, yet we completely reject the idea of
bringing the Church, which is technically grouped among the NGOs,
under control of the government. The Church cannot be controlled by
the government because of its spiritual responsibilities and
obligations. This is why we are calling on the Federal government
to stop the implementation of the obnoxious and ungodly law until
the religious institutions are exempted from it.
“How can the government sack the trustee of a church which it
contributed no dime to establish? How can a secular and political
minister be the final authority on the affairs and management of
another institution which is not political? For example, how can a
non-Christian head of Government Ministry be the one to determine
the running of the church? It is an invitation to the trouble that
the government does not have the power to manage. Let the
government face the business of providing infrastructure for the
people.”
After Arewa Agenda Report, Kano Govt Plans to Build 127
Girls Secondary Schools
Following a story published by Arewa Agenda about an eroded Kano
Village where no single girl ever attended secondary school, the
Kano State Government have disclosed its plans to build 127 Girls’
Secondary School.
The Kano State Commissioner of Educatrion, Hon. Muhammad Sunusi
Kiru who made the disclosure in audience with Arewa Agenda press
crew, said the the project would comprises of 72 Junior and 55
Senior Secondary Schools.
The Commissioner further revealed that the State Government is
also in the process of renovating dilapidated schools across the
State and employing more teachers to meet demand especially with
the State’s policy on free and compulsory education from primary to
secondary schools.
“As I am talking to you, a committee of works under the
leadership of Dr. Danlami Gwarzo is leading this initiative, they
are visiting all primary and secondary schools in the state that
are in a dilapidated state and engineers are doing the needed
evaluations. Right now, we are constructing seats for primary
school pupils and we have initiated a new programme where about
10,000 girls in primary school will benefit from a scholarship
scheme.
“We have even opened accounts, issued ATM cards forv direct
payments to the beneficiaries. We will monitor the scholarship
closely to ensure funds are not diverted, we are going to seek
partnership with the State’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption
Commission, PCACC, under the leadership of Barrister Muhuyi Magaji
Rimin Gado.” He said.
With about 1,600 secondary schools in Kano State, the
Commissioner said the government is giving priority to girl child
education and partnering with international bodies including the
world bank for support of the project.
He said currently, the government initiated Girl-Child buses for
affordable transportation for pupils and students in the state.
“There are factors affecting the girl child education one of
which is economic factor, some people cannot afford the cost of
transport to school for their children, so we provided the girl
child buses where we subsidized it, a distance that cost NGN500 for
example, we take NGN100, you can see the buses.
“We have also agreed to build new Junior secondary schools
because primary schools are mostly close to homes. As you may be
aware parents are sometimes apprehensive about sending a girl child
far off. In fact some do not allow their female children to go to
boarding schools because of distance. We are providing solution
that will directly impact on communities,” he explained
While appreciating the team of from Arewa Agenda for its
investigative reports towards a better society, the Commissioner
assured them of his support and cooperation in their journalistic
endeavours.
Recall that Arewa Agenda had reported that a Kano village with a
population of about 5,000, had no no single girl that ever obtained
a secondary school certificate while the boys that managed to
graduate from tertiary institutions are less than 20 in year.
Situated in Dan Yashi village, Karofin Yashi Ward, Rimin Gado
Local Government of Kano State within the geographical coordinates
11° 52′ 55″ North, 8° 20′ 37″ East, Dan Yashi is largely affected
by erosion and the town has only two canoes used to cross the
stream as the only means for residents to enter their village
through Rafin Dan Shayi.