Methodist Church Seeks Ugwuanyi’s Intervention Over Property Demolition
The Methodist Church, Diocese of Enugu has urged Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to come to its immediate aid following the demolition of one of its churches. The 61-year-old Ebenezer Methodist Church, located at Emene, in Enugu state was one of the many structures demolished as part of the expansion work at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Recall that federal government had recently ordered demolition of some structures which it said posed great risk to the full operation of the international airport. Among them are the Ebenezer Methodist Church, the Orie Emene Market, as well as several residential buildings and stalls.
Reacting to the development when a team of clergy men visited the scene of the demolition, the Synod Secretary of the Methodist Diocese of Enugu, Very Rev. Joel Okorie, said the church was in trauma over the development. He said though they were not against the development process at the airport, the government should come to their aid as the church had existed long before the airport.
While revealing that the church came into being at the land in question in 1961, he said the property lost to the demolition was well over N600m. Okorie said, “We have a series of buildings within this place, our main church, our Sunday School, the parsonage, lock-up shops, but because of the Enugu Airport rehabilitation, the buildings were brought down.”
He regretted that the demolishing agency went beyond the already marked buildings and brought other structures down. “The agency acted even against the intervention of the governor. The Governor I know for sure never wanted this to happen, he wanted us to be allowed time to evacuate our properties here but the agency wouldn’t let that be.
“We are completely set-aback, and are now begging the Governor to help us in this trying time. Over 1000 congregants have now been destabilized. We urge the government to do the needful because the Methodist Church is also a key player in this State and beyond.
“I know that the government we have is a listening government, so, we ask him to come to our aid and reingener that confidence we have in him,” he pleaded.
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