We need a Charity Commission in Nigeria for ALL religious organisations A study of the church’s financial statements from 2009 to 2012 posted on the Charity Commission’s websites, show that approximately N403 million (£1,572,047) was paid to Love World Limited from the transmission of the church’s broadcast. Curiously, the sole director of Love World Limited and sole shareholder is one Pastor Obiora Chiemeka who is also listed as a trustee of the church. Mr. Chiemeka was appointed a trustee in 2009, the year the church began to make the payment to his company. The church also paid an estimated N538.5 million (£2.1 million) as grants to mostly Nigerian partner organisations between 2008 and 2012. On a closer look, PREMIUM TIMES discovered that some of the charges the payments were said to cover were arbitrary, suggesting they might have been used for other purposes other than what they were listed for. For instance, between 2010 and 2012 a total of N320.4 million (£1.24 million) was paid to Love World Television Ministry, LTM. These payments appear to be a duplication of the payment for transmission of television broadcast paid to Love World Limited. Though the church’s dedicated television station is called Love World Television, it is not clear how Love World Television Ministry differs from Love World Limited. Love World Television Ministry is not listed on the church’s website among the ministries Christ Embassy runs. Also, in 2009, N9.6 million (£37,785) was paid to the church’s healing ministry known as Healing School. In 2010, N20.5 million (£97,850) was paid to the same school. However, the amount paid to the ministry dropped drastically in 2011 to N346, 072 (£1,350). Then the payment to the ministry shot up astronomically to N25.6 million (£100,000) in 2012. When PREMIUM TIMES called Christ Embassy’s international office for comments, an official who answered the phone said those who could speak on the issue were not in the office. The Interim Manager has also not responded to PREMIUM TIMES enquiries. Like Ashimolowo like Oyakhilome The investigation into Christ Embassy’s finances is the second time the Charity Commission will be carrying out statutory inquiry into the UK branch of a Nigerian Church. Between 2002 and 2005, the commission appointed KPMG to act as interim managers to another Nigerian church in the UK, Kingsway International Christian Centre, KICC, founded by Matthew Ashimolowo. A report released in October 2005 revealed serious misconduct and mismanagement of the church’s finances. The investigation discovered that Mr Ashimolowo approved payments and benefits for himself and his wife, Yemisi, totalling £384,000. He used the church’s Visa card to make personal purchases including a timeshare apartment in Florida for £13,000. The report also revealed that his wife bought a Bentley with a custom plate number worth £80,000. Ashimolowo was also paid over half a million pounds to personal companies operating from the church property. The report revealed that some of his companies had unclear business relationship with the church. The commission ordered him to repay £200,000. m.premiumtimesng/headlines/167729-more-trouble-for-the-oyakhilomes-as-uk-commission-probes-christ-embassy-over-paymentsl.html
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 18:27:25 +0000
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