Lord’s Chosen Ministry Denies Sealing of Headquarters as Lagos Insists on Continuous Closure
LAGOS OCTOBER 11 (URHOBOTODAY)-LORD’S Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, had debunked the wide media reports about the closure of the church headquarters by the Lagos State government over environmental issues.
DailyPost had earlier reported that the church headquarters at the Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate was sealed by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment for violating environmental laws of the state.
But the church, yesterday denied the report, saying it has not been sealed by any government, and that it’s fully operational.
A statement issued by the church’s Director of Public Relations/Press, Pastor Louis Chidi said the church was fully operational. It further said that the Office of Drainage Services in the Ministry of Environment issued a notice regarding a facility that did obey the some environmental laws, but denied that the church was sealed as a result of that.
The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to the news being circulated that our church has been closed by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment. We wish to state the fact for the interest of our members and the general public.
“First, the church has not been closed by any government. The church and all her activities are running as usual.
“The fact is that officials of the Lagos State Government from the Office of Drainage Services in the Ministry of Environment gave notice about a particular facility that did not observe the required set back from the canal.
“They therefore asked that the facility should not be used until necessary amendment is made. We have since complied and the facility reverted to the former status. Please take note that the church did not stop functioning because of this as there are many other facilities within the church premises.
“The second observation raised was the issue of street market that sprang up at the bus stop. We also want to state that the church never encouraged street trading within the estate or along its road because on many occasions it has caused traffic obstruction to those coming into the church premises.
“The church authority has also repeatedly warned those traders to stop desecrating the holy ground and several other efforts made to stop the illegal market were to no avail as most of them claimed to be paying rent and taxes to the ‘authority.
“Meanwhile, officials of the task force section of the Ministry have already dispersed the street traders.
“We wish to state emphatically that The Lord’s Chosen Church is a law-abiding ministry and will remain so in all her activities by the grace of God. The church was never closed, and above all, the cordial relationship existing between the state government and the church remains intact.
“We will continue to support and pray for the government of the state, her citizens and indeed the entire country,” he stated.
But on the contrary, Spokesman for the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Mr. Fola Adeyemi, yesterday reiterated that the state government will not reopen the church until it complies with all the environmental laws of Lagos State.
Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries’ headquarters in Lagos was sealed on October 6, 2013, following the church’s non adherent to the state’s environmental laws.
Source: Daily Post