CAN urges Buhari to suspend CAMA; FG says it’s not targeted at churches

By Jessica Onyegbula

Abuja, Sept. 1, 2020

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to issue directives to suspend implementation of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.
Rev. Samson Ayokunle, CAN President, made the call at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
This is as the Federal Government has assured religious bodies in the country that the controversial Act does not target churches, mosques and other religious bodies, as had been portrayed.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Ita Enang, gave the assurances on Tuesday during an interaction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in Abuja.
Recall that the National Assembly passed the CAMA bill earlier this year and the president signed it into law on August 7.
Ayokunle said that comments in the public domain were beginning to indicate that the Act was capable of further undermining the faith of stakeholders in the Nigerian state.
The CAN president, represented by Rev. William Okoye, General Overseer, All Christians Fellowship Mission (ACFM), said that the association had not been availed with the authentic version of the Act.
”We consider the Act a complex of statecraft compendium, laden with issues inimical to peace and stability and overall wellbeing of the country.
”From the reactions of stakeholders and a cross-section of the people it is apparent the Act either did not receive input from various interest groups or failed to accommodate their views.
”There is need for stakeholders to seek judicial intervention or amendment of the Act.
”We must allay stakeholders’ fears and encourage them to exercise their democratic rights, hoping that when citizens approach the state institutions they shall rise up to the challenge,” he said.
‘The CAN president urged Buhari to issue the appropriate directives to suspend the implementation of the Act based on stakeholders’ opinions and affirm a thorough reappraisal of the legislation.
“The directive should be in correlation with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), other extant legal and policy frameworks, the national economy, national security, national interest and the wellbeing of the people,” he stressed.
Ita Enang’s meeting with CAN was organised for the purpose of giving enlightenment to the Christian body on the contentious provisions of the CAMA.
Enang expressed displeasure that some politicians, especially those from the opposition, had wrongly characterised the intents and purposes of the Act, giving it as an anti-religious law.
He said the misconceptions that had trailed the Act had found their way in through deliberate misinformation, explaining also that some had intended to blackmail President Buhari with it.
He said that the President was not the sponsor and had at previous occasions withheld accent when he was not convinced it was good enough for Nigeria.
“Misconceptions have enveloped this Act with deliberate misinformation and falsehood by persons who may not have fully and in-fact personally read and digested the provision of the Act.
”We consider it appropriate and responsible to appear before you and other fora to make these explanations.
“First, the bill as it then was, was not an executive bill transmitted by President Buhari to the legislature.
“It was initiated by a Senator and member of the House in the respective chambers, at the behest of the Corporate Affairs Commission and support of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.
”It was therefore not an executive bill, but upon passage was transmitted to Mr President for assent.
”Secondly, upon receipt of same for assent, Mr President in accordance with extant best practice escalated the measure to appropriate Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“They made different inputs some of which led to Mr President declining assent twice to the bill in the entire tenure or life of the 8th Assembly.
”Thirdly, as the 9th Assembly was inaugurated, the bill was again re-introduced by Senators and Honourable members and all the observation made on the 8th Assembly bill incorporated and addressed.
”Without any amendment or insertion and in whole passed by the two chambers and being without differences was transmitted to Mr President for assent.
“It is pertinent to state that prior to this Act, Incorporated Trustees or Law of Trust was regulated by the COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT, 1990, now repealed by the 2020 CAMA.
”This shows that trusteeship as now complained of was regulated by an Act which has been in existence for 30 years.
“We want to declare as a fact, that the Act does not target churches or religious bodies as wrongly assumed.
”The 2020 Act assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari has not introduced any matter oppressive to the Christian Community or any religion nor any matter discriminatory against any class of persons in Nigeria,” he said.