Church Seeks N35m Compensation Over Collapsed Mast

Methodist Church of Nigeria Ikot Omin, Eno Abasi Circuit Diocese has called on management of Ekondo MicroFinance Bank, Calabar to compensate the church as a telecommunication mast belonging to the financial institution collapsed and destroyed residence of the minister-in-charge, Rev. Evans Uwaoma Obiokor rendering him and family homeless.

The bishop of the Diocese of Atamunu (Methodist Cathedral of Favour) Calabar, Dr. Otuekong Ukut, in an interview with LEADERSHIP Friday in Calabar, said preliminary investigation showed that the property lost is worth N35 million.

Otuekong said, “We have already sent an architect to go through each of the items and the preliminary survey has shown N35 million for the loss.

Items destroyed include three buildings, an office building, home to the minister-in-charge, where he lives with wife and children, the service quarter and the back house, hit by the fallen mast.

“Those three buildings involved the roofs, the woods, electrical, the appliances, the electronics, office, and books in the office, computers, and photocopiers. It’s a massive damage.

“We have asked our legal officer to inform the bank. We are having our meeting on Monday. At the moment, we have to relocate the minister because the electrical wires in his home are sparking. The water you saw on the floor of his home because of yesterday’s rain can spark up once light is brought by Power Holding Company (PHCN).

“Apart from physical damage, the threat to life of the minister, that’s why I have to quickly inform our prelate at the headquarters, the board of trustees.  I believe they would have an emergency meeting. All Methodist church property belongs to the board of trustees,” Otuekong maintained.

He said that even though management of the bank had not bothered to communicate with the church to express concern over the damage or to take responsibility, the Bishop visited the premises of the bank only to find out that the collapsed mast was never maintained.