Falana Advocates Prosecution Of Churches Diverting Charity Funds To Business Ventures
Prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has urged anti-corruption agencies to prosecute churches that misuse charity funds for commercial enterprises, describing such actions as criminal. He also called on church members to hold accountable those responsible for financial misappropriation within their institutions.
Speaking at the 2024 Peace Summit of the Justice Development Peace Commission (JDPC) in Lagos on Saturday, Mr Falana highlighted the need for faith-based organizations to prioritize their role in serving communities rather than focusing on profit-driven ventures. The summit, themed “Cultivating a Culture of Peace in Nigeria: A Call to Action,” sought to promote social responsibility and ethical governance.
Falana emphasized that charity funds, exempt from taxation, should be dedicated to helping vulnerable populations meet social challenges, adding that faith-based institutions diverting these funds for commercial purposes should face legal consequences. He particularly criticized the practice of raising funds to build schools that impose high tuition fees, inaccessible to the very communities that contributed to their construction.
The JDPC, a social arm of the Catholic Church, advocates for sustainable human development through community empowerment and holistic support.
