By Dipo Olowookere

The Head of Tax and Corporate Advisory Services at PwC Nigeria, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, has said the aim of the controversial Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 (CAMA 2020) especially concerning non-profit organisations, including religious bodies, is to regulate their activities and not to control them as it is being pushed.

The CAMA 2020, which was signed into law recently but is yet to be gazetted, has generated controversies from different quarters, especially from church leaders, who claimed that the law was aimed at controlling the affairs of churches.

Many respected Christian leaders have spoken on the matter, including the founder of Living Faith Church also known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, who said one of the contending issues was the power given to the registrar general of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or the supervising minister to tamper with the board of trustee of a charity organisation.

Under CAMA 2020, the commission may by order, suspend the trustees of an association or a religious body and appoint an interim manager or managers to coordinate its affairs where it reasonably believes that there has been any misconduct or mismanagement, or where the affairs of the association are being run fraudulently or where it is necessary or desirable for the purpose of public interest.

But Mr Oyedepo stressed that no government can change the composition of his church’s board, while the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said the law was an attempt to wage a war against the church in the country.

A few days ago, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, was at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and it was speculated in some quarters that the respected cleric may have gone there because of the controversial law.

After his meeting with Mr Buhari, the RCCG leader declined to address some anxious journalists waiting for him outside.

On Wednesday, September 2, 2020, PwC organised a capability enhancement workshop for journalists and one of the speakers, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, spoke on the new CAMA 2020 law.

He pointed out that the law was not intended to control charity organisations, which religious bodies belong, but mainly to regulate their activities.

He said it was normal for any responsible government to regulate activities of any organisation that collects funds from members of the public, who must be protected.

Mr Oyedele also said the new law was the most important business regulation in Nigeria especially as it has a significant impact on doing business, competitiveness, attracting investments, and economic growth.

However, he stressed the need to gazette the CAMA 2020 with a future commencement date to facilitate ease of transition while emphasising the importance of effective implementation.

He noted the need to harmonise CAMA with other laws such as the Companies Income Tax Act which still requires audited accounts by all companies regardless of size.

In addition, more flexibility is required for foreign companies who wish to operate a business in Nigeria such that a branch registration should be permitted while incorporating a subsidiary will be optional, he posited.

According to the tax expert, it is also necessary to ensure that the new law is kept under constant review with more frequent amendments or re-enactment say every five years.

Also speaking at the event attended by over 100 financial journalists, including from Business Post, the Editor-in-Chief at Stears Business, Mr Tokunbo Afikuyomi Jr, highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on news consumption patterns and what this means for the fortunes of journalists and their media houses.

He noted that in times of uncertainty, trustworthy reporting becomes even more important than the speed to break the news, noting that with the shift to digital platforms by consumers, reporters must balance the rush to be the first to publish with providing factual information written from a unique angle that adds value to the readers. He also emphasised the need for clarity of thoughts and clarity of expression for excellent reporting.

On his part, the Partner and Chief Economist at PwC Nigeria, Mr Andrew Nevin, tasked business journalists to add more value to their reporting.

He lamented reproduction of economic data from agencies without providing sufficient context or insights, urging reporters to track key metrics such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other policy pronouncements of governments which they can use to benchmark their analysis of NBS statistics and enrich their general reporting on the economy.

https://businesspost.ng/general/cama-2020-will-regulate-not-control-churches-others-oyedele/

Exodus 14:13-14- Moses said to the people "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever (14) the Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace."

CAMA law has now exposed business men and women parading themselves as men and women of God. Most of these men and women in churc business have their branches abroad and they obey the same regulations but they don't want to lift their legs from nigerina's neck. They are quick to blame government but turn a blind eyes to the way they kill Nigeria in the name of God's work.
Well-done NASS &PMB.

Lol

Temitopemo6e6 post=93586090[s:
]CAMA law has now exposed business men and women parading themselves as men and women of God. Most of these men and women in churc business have their branches abroad and they obey the same regulations but they don't want to lift their legs from nigerina's neck. They are quick to blame government but turn a blind eyes to the way they kill Nigeria in the name of God's work.
Well-done NASS &PMB.

[/s]

How a law for non-profit organisation including NGOs and all religious organizations will trigger such an outcry by only Christians beat imagination. Why ain't Islamic organisations complaining?

Can it be rightly deduced that majority of the church doesn't want accountability; continuation of headship from daddy, to mummy, to son/daughter;

Yes, this again is another sign that religion is being defeated as we enter into the Aquarius age. Who could have believed that Cama will come to Nigeria of all countries. A country where religious blindness has infiltrated since the arrival of the slave traders and the colonial masters. First, churches and mosques were shut down for months and the respective gods Jehovah and Allah could not do anything against it. Now Cama is here and they will only lament. Religion will not only be defeated in the western world, but it will be a worldwide affair as Jehovah, Allah, Moloch, Enlil, Ahura Mazda and thousands of earth religious gods remained confined in a spiritual cage where the gods of science have subjected them to. Peace

DelTel:


How a law for non-profit organisation including NGOs and all religious organizations will trigger such an outcry by only Christians beat imagination. Why ain't Islamic organisations complaining?

Can it be rightly deduced that majority of the church doesn't want accountability; continuation of headship from daddy, to mummy, to son/daughter;

Those religious title chiefs aren't Christians but Politicians!

In the first century, whatever rule concerning money the leaders set was never challenged by Jesus' group {Matthew 22:15-21} because they're no part of the world {John 17:14} so their main concern was how to reach all nooks and crannies of their community with the Good News of God's Kingdom. The Politicians disguising as religious leaders of their time was the problem the Christians had back then, they made a rule that nobody should speak to his neighbour about Jesus again {Act 4:18,5:28} So the Christians said "NO" {Act 5:29-32}

And since their leader Jesus commissioned his work on foot the Christians have no problem reaching people with their message {Matthew 10:11-13 compare to Romans 10:13-15}
But when Politicians (Satan's agents) who wants to seize the opportunity to rule over their fellowman joined Christianity {Matthew 13:25} , they instigated the Roman Empire against the few remaining faithful Christians in their midst and since that time true Christianity disappeared as an active group on planet earth!
Today Jesus is back (in the spirit) and he has reformed his own group (Jehovah's Witnesses) all those agitating over the orders or rules by those in Authority aren't Christians but Politicians who are part of the system under the control of Satan the Devil! John 14:30; 1John 5:19

God bless you!

At the mention of the name CAMA, every daddy G.O trembles.

C.A.C acts chapter 2 vs 5

Business men using God to lie..... they no longer have respect for God...... greedy fools

FatherOfJesus:
At the mention of the name CAMA, every daddy G.O trembles.

C.A.C acts chapter 2 vs 5

The title DADDY GO is enough to tell you that the person bearing such is not one of Jesus' followers! Matthew 23:8-9

I remember there was a time Obasanjo created chaos in ekiti to remove fayose, putting CAMA the hand of hausa, fulani, muslim and Buhari can spell doom for freedom of worship, they will misuse it to subdue to church, they will create problem by an insider and use such person to take over the church, so one alhaji and cult member will be interim board members of the church, sitting on the pulpit, it is a tool that will destabilize and subjugate the church.

IamWonderful:
I remember there was a time Obasanjo created chaos in ekiti to remove fayose, putting CAMA the hand of hausa, fulani, muslim and Buhari can spell doom for freedom of worship, they will misuse it to subdue to church, they will create problem by an insider and use such person to take over the church, so one alhaji and cult member will be interim board members of the church, sitting on the pulpit, it is a tool that will destabilize and subjugate the church.

They can't bring in a law that's been established in order lands and go as far as to manipulate it's implementation!

How can the blind regulate the BODY of CHRIST?

You should have consulted the true Church before making the law. You can't break the Church law/rules for your own man-made law.
GOD's law is above all man-made.
Don't "fight" GOD with your blasphemous law!

Is regulation not control? When a person wants to control you, does it not first start with "help me do this or that"?

Who do they think that they are deceiving? They can tell it to a room full of cartons.

The CAMA law is for. NGOs....if churches are seen/registered as NGOs why are they afraid if the CAMA law?
Is it not more wicked for those complaining to use the Church as private/profit ventures besides what they were registered for?
What are they hiding in the first place?
Criminals using the church to milk guilible Nigerians

OpenYourEyes1:
How can the blind regulate the BODY of CHRIST?

You should have consulted the true Church before making the law. You can't break the Church law/rules for your own man-made law.
GOD's law is above all man-made.
Don't "fight" GOD with your blasphemous law!

Blind ke.?....
Are these Churches not in Nigeria? under Nigeria law? Why do these same Churches with branches abroad not oppose the law in those countries........
Religion/ignorant is really what is keeping Africa backward.....

desiredhome:
The CAMA law is for. NGOs....if churches are seen/registered as NGOs why are they afraid if the CAMA law?
Is it not more wicked for those complaining to use the Church as private/profit ventures besides what they were registered for?
What are they hiding in the first place?
Criminals using the church to milk guilible Nigerians

What we are saying is that it is the Natural Right of the Donors to complain about how their donations are expended and they are not complaining.

No One can usurp or mutinize or coup d'etat that Right.

This is Privity of Contract and any one who is not a party to the contract, can not seek to enforce it. Such a person is a Trespasser being a Meddlesome Interloper, which CAC has become by reason of the amendment.

desiredhome:

Blind ke.?....
Are these Churches not in Nigeria? under Nigeria law? Why do these same Churches with branches abroad not oppose the law in those countries........
Religion/ignorant is really what is keeping Africa backward.....

Abroad, the government too are Donors to the churches, hence Privity of Contract exists between them, therefore they can Rightfully complain about any perceived wrong.