OMG! Church Members Fight Dirty Over Signatories to Church’s Bank Account -

Anglican Church leaders in the Diocese of Niger Delta North and foundation members of the Saint Matthew’s Anglican Church, Nkpogwu Deanery, Rivers State, have locked horns over who should be signatories to the church’s bank account.

The leaders of the church had frowned on a situation where only foundation members were signatories to the bank account of St. Matterw's Church. Their argument was that the vicar of the church must be a signatory.

The issue escalated after a new vicar, Ven. Chiemela Samuel, assumed duty at the church and he also was not allowed to be a signatory to the church’s bank account.

 “This church has been giving problem since its inception. Members use money anyhow without the pastor’s approval. We feel there should be a check to these things. 

 “In Anglican churches all over the world, pastors are chief signatories, but it is not like that in this church. The foundation members of the church use money anyhow because the pastor is not a signatory to the church’s account.”

Archibishop, Province of Niger Delta and Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey, who had tried to broker peace, said the withdrawal and use of church funds without the knowledge of the vicar was wrong.

He blamed the problem of the church on “some foundation members, who had been parading themselves as a cabal in the church.”

The church is now in crisis as leaders are saying they won't take such nonsense from the members of cabal.

A communiqué, signed by Most Rev. Kattey and two others, reads in part:
“The Diocesan Board maintains that henceforth and in line with the provisions and financial instructions of the Diocese (Niger Delta North), signatories to all church bank accounts should be the chairman (rector or vicar), treasurer and secretary with the chairman as the only principal (‘A’) signatory.

“To this end, the Diocesan Board further directs that all current signatories to all bank accounts of St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Nkpogwu Deanery, be replaced with new ones from the caretaker committee until such a time when elections will be held in line with diocesan regulations.

“The relevant provisions of the diocesan financial institutions should be adhered to in order to forestall further abuse of church funds.”

The situation is so bad that some members of the cabal stormed the new Pastor's residence and disconnected it from electricity. What is happening in churches these days?

Sources in the church disclosed that, “About three pastors were driven away by this group of persons and now they want to drive the current pastor away.” -