PFN Calls For CAMA 2020 Review, Says Law Liable To Abuse, Denial Of Fair Hearing

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has continued to express its concern over some provisions of the Company and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA 2020).

In a statement on Tuesday, Dr Felix Omobude, PFN National President, called for a review of the law, arguing that the law is vulnerable to “abuse, denial of fair hearing, arbitrariness and dubious use of power by the commission”.

Omobude concern was particularly on the provisions of section 839 (1) (a),(b),(c) which empowers the supervising minister “to suspend trustees of an association (in this case, the church) and appoint the interim managers to manage the affairs of the association for some given reasons”.

The PFN President argued that the above provision runs contrary to sections 6(6) and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Following a briefing by its team of legal advisers, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria is convinced that there is indeed cause for concern about the Companies and Allied Matters Act recently signed into law, as it concerns civil society organisations, religious bodies and other not-for-profit concerns,” the statement read.

“Our concerns are founded around provisions of Section 839 (1) (a),(b),(c), which we see as contrary to sections 6(6) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We believe that these provisions, among others, leave the door open to abuse, denial of fair hearing, arbitrariness and dubious use of power by the commission and/or its agents.”