Fides Media Living the Faith
By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Nnewi Diocese, Anambra State, has embarked on the construction of a multi-million Naira road beside the Cathedral Church of St Mary’s, Uruagu, Nnewi.
The Church had to demolish its three-storey building housing a secondary school of the church in order to make the road project a reality since some families were not cooperating with the Church.
According to His Lordship, Rt. Rev. Ndubuisi Obi, it was in line with the culture of corporate social responsibility of the Church and a practical demonstration of the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as complementing the efforts of the Anambra State Government.
The Church embarked on the multi million Naira road construction project to ease the challenges faced by commuters and residents of the community.
The ongoing construction work which includes an asphalt road which spans 130 Meters, 260 meters of reinforced concrete 900mm drainage on both sides of the road and 160 meters of design fence with metal grills to provide a composite Cathedral environment devoid of vehicular traffic, is being handled by Chartech Logistics Services Ltd and supervised by Hon. Engr. Humphrey C. Nsofor, a Civil Engineer, member of the Cathedral Special Committee and former Majority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly.
While speaking to newsmen in Nnewi after an oversight supervision of the ongoing road project on Saturday, 2nd May, 2020, the Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, His Lordship, Rt. Hon. Ndubuisi Obi, described the project as the Church’s corporate social responsibility and its way of giving back to the community for welcoming the Church with open hands since its inception.
He expressed satisfaction on the spate of work at the project site, noting that the Cathedral by pass was a pivotal but capital intensive project running into millions of Naira and very dear to the heart of the diocese.
He added that the access road was aimed at ending the challenges that commuters and residents of the community usually experienced during its regular church service as they found it difficult to access the major road: Oba-Okigwe Road, due to the closure of the Michael Mbonu Road, Uruagu, at the Cathedral end during church service.
He further revealed that the Church financially compensated and relocated the families whose landed property was very close to the church and needed to give way for the access road to be a reality, while the three-storey building housing a secondary school that was built by the Church was equally pulled down and evacuated as some families refused to sell their land to the Church to give way for the Cathedral by pass.
On the efforts of the Church in combating COVID19, His Lordship stated that the Church had embarked on several measures to complement the effort of the government in sensitising the community on how best to stay safe amid the pandemic outbreak.
The Bishop further advised the government to channel its palliative measures through the Church, describing the Church as an institution with integrity which would ensure an equal distribution of the palliative materials to the intended recipients.
He recalled that during the Nigeria/Biafra War, the Red Cross and other similar organizations channelled their palliative measures through the Church as it was close to the people.
In his own remarks, Ven Nelson Emeonu (JP), Archdeacon, Cathedral Church of St. Mary’s Nnewi, showered encomiums on his Lordship, The Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, for his foresight, commitment and determination in supporting the project and ensuring that the Church affected the community positively.
He also eulogized Hon. Engr. Humphrey Emeka Nsofor for ‘his uncommon efforts’ in seeing that the project became a reality.
Hon. Engr. Nsofor described the project as a noble initiative and called on public spirited individuals to support the Church financially in its efforts in giving back to society.