What CAN wants President Buhari to do to “Law of” CAMA in Nigeria
The Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the implementation of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) in Nigeria.
The suspension request was contained in an email statement forwarded to the press by the office of CAN’s President, Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, according information we picked from website of a popular Nigerian television station.
Since it was signed into law by President Buhari on August 7, the CAMA has generated what some notable Nigerians described as unnecessary controversy even as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) said it was not compulsory for any church or other religious organisation to register with it but on condition its followers or members would trust the leadership enough to donate their money without account. It therefore asked that such religious centre undesirous of such accountability demanded by the “Law” of CAMA should de-register self with CAC if it so wished.
But CAN said the President should suspend the bill already signed into law saying, in its letter to Buhari on Tuesday, that it was yet to view a full copy of the Act.
The Act has serious consequences for the functioning of nonprofits, including churches, in the country, critics have said.
“We consider the Act, as indeed, a complex of statecraft compendium, laden with issues that are grossly inimical to national interest, security (- peace and stability), and overall wellbeing of the Nigerian-state,” the CAN statement said.
CAN vilified the Act for not receiving input from “various interest groups” or for failing “to accommodate their views.”
It also suggested there was no point in seeking “judicial intervention or amendment of the Act by the National Assembly” as such “shall achieve nothing much.”
“Mr. President . . . we are of the opinion that you should kindly issue the appropriate directives to suspend the implementation of CAMA 2020 and affirm a thorough reappraisal of the legislation that is 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 Nigerian-state,” the CAN statement ended.
READ CAN’S FULL STATEMENT:
President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR
State House
AbujaMr. President,
We respectfully acknowledge the invitation extended to us to make an input into the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 following the myriad of objections that attended the enactment of the Act.
While we sincerely appreciate the courtesy of your invitation, we are however constrained from doing so on the following grounds:
1. We are yet to be availed with the authentic version of the voluminous Act, made up of 870 sections besides the sundry and complex schedules and addendum. We consider the Act, as indeed, a complex of statecraft compendium, laden with issues that are grossly inimical to national interest, security (- peace and stability), and overall wellbeing of the Nigerian-state.
2. From the reactions of stakeholders and a cross-section of the Nigerian-state, it is apparent that the Act either did not receive input from the respective various interest groups or failed to accommodate their views, sundry concerns and varying interests of the Nigerian people. Without prejudice to our observations, such a law ought to welcome and accommodate the sundry and varying interests of the Nigerian people.
3. Furthermore, we are mindful that comments in public domain are beginning to indicate that CAMA, 2020 has the potential that can further undermine the faith of stakeholders in the Nigerian-state. The reactions from public officeholders have not helped matters because they are binary in perspective and pander towards a fait accompli.
4. The dominant schools of thought in the public domain, hold the view that should stakeholders of the Nigerian-state seek judicial intervention or amendment of the Act by the National Assembly, they shall achieve nothing much, as they consider such, as exercises in futility. We must allay their fears and encourage them to exercise their democratic rights in our participatory democracy; hoping that when citizens approach these state institutions, they shall rise up to the challenge.
Mr. President, from the foregoing, we are of the opinion that you should kindly issue the appropriate directives to suspend the implementation of CAMA 2020 and affirm a thorough reappraisal of the legislation that is 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 Nigerian-state.
In order to participate actively in such an exercise, you may wish to kindly furnish us with an official version as assented by you. This will enable us do the due diligence required, please.
Once more, do accept the assurances of our esteemed consideration as we pray for the continued presence and Will of the Almighty God of all-creation by the Holy Spirit in Nigeria through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Savior, Redeemer and soon coming KING. (Amen)
