Cleric urges President Tinubu to stop subsidising religious organizations, faults N90b donation to Hajj Commission

Rev. Dr. Jerry Nwachukwu

By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha

The General Overseer of Bible Base and Miracle Assembly, Onitsha in Anàmbra State, Rev. Dr. Jerry Nwachukwu, has called for the immediate abolition of of subsidy to religious organizations in the country.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Asaba, Delta State, Dr Nwachukwu faulted the recent N90b subsidy to Hajj Commission for this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca.

He also condemned the huge amount of. money given to the members of the National Assembly during the last Christmas. It was said that each senator got N200m and House of Representatives collected N100m each.

But Rev. Nwachukwu queried: “Can’t religion be personal in this country? Federal Government should abolish subsidy for any religious organizations or religious activities. It is not the constitutional role of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to subsidise any religious organisation or activity. Nigeria is a secular state and should remain so in all ramifications”.

He said time has come when religious bodies should start subsiding themselves or their activities even if they want to go to the moon or sun.

He asked: “who subsidises the witches and wizards. Who pays for pagans when they travel or organise their own activities? Who pays for those who travels to India or any other country for their pilgrimage”.

The General Overseer said if Federal Government does not stop funding religious bodies , all other religions like pagans, witches and wizards should form their own organisations and demand for their own subsidy from Federal Government.

“Religion should be a personal thing, not an instrument of politics. Anybody who wants to go anywhere or do anything should do it on his/her own expense, instead of government donating money meant for the development and provision of social services like health, education to the people,” the cleric said.

Rev. Nwachukwu said the whopping N90b subsidy for this year’s Hajj can replicate the Geometric Power Plant built in Aba, Abia State at the cost of $800m, which is about N10b in nine states of this country.
“This shows how frivolous and wasteful we are as a people from top to the bottom,” he lamented.