N25m Donation: You Can’t Be Owing Civil Servants, Donating Money To Church, Bishop Tells Ayade

A Nigerian Catholic priest serving in Malawi, Fr. Kelvin Ugwu has lauded the Catholic Bishop of Uyo Diocese, John Ebebe Ayah, for turning down the N25 million donation from the Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade.

The governor during a Thanksgiving service at the St. Patrick’s Catholic, Ikot Ansa, Calabar on Sunday, offered to donate N25 million to the church.

But the bishop who was not impressed with the governor for owing salaries of workers asked the governor to add to the amount and settle workers.

He said, “I want to talk. The governor is my brother, we are both from Cross River North.

I want to appreciate the governor and tell him to package whatever he has for me, add to it and use it to pay the salaries of the workers”.

Reacting, Ugwu in a post on his verified Facebook page, lamented how the governor was “proudly donating 25 million naira to the church” when workers are being owed salaries for several months.

He wrote, “The sad part is that some members in the church who were initially clapping for him because of his donation may be among those that have not been paid.

“Thank God for the quick intervention of the Bishop of Uyo diocese, Bishop John Ayah. It is time we start getting our priorities right.

“Even the Bible says in Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”