Church Demands N35 Million in Damages Over Mast Collapse On Pastor's House.

 The management of Ekondo Microfinance Bank has been urged to provide the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Ikot Omin, Eno Abasi Circuit Diocese, Calabar, Cross River State, with N35 million in compensation after the bank's mast collapsed and destroyed the minister in charge's home, Rev. Evans Uwaoma Obiokor.

According to the church, the clergyman and his family are now homeless as a result of the telecom mast that collapsed along the 8 Mile axis on Calabar Road.

In an interview with LEADERSHIP on Thursday in Calabar, Otuekong Ukut, the Bishop of the Diocese of Atamunu (Methodist Cathedral of Favour), said that an initial survey revealed the property lost to the collapsing mast was valued at N35 million.

The Bishop stated, “We have already sent an architect to go through each of the items, and the preliminary survey has shown N35 million for the loss.”  

The minister stated that three buildings—the office building, the minister-in-charge's home where he resides with his wife and kids, the service quarter and the back house—were damaged by the falling mast.

“Those three buildings involved the roofs, the woods, electrical, the appliances, the electronics, office, and books in the office, computers, and photocopiers. It’s a massive damage.

“We have asked our legal officer to inform the bank. We are having our meeting on Monday. At the moment, we have to relocate the minister because the electrical wires in his home are sparking. The water you saw on the floor of his home because of yesterday’s rain can spark up once light is restored.

“Apart from the physical damages, there is threat to the life of the minister, that’s why I have to quickly inform our Prelate at the headquarters and the Board of Trustees. I believe they would have an emergency meeting because all Methodist Church’s property belongs to Board of Trustees,” Ukut maintained.

He claimed that even though the bank's management had not gotten in touch with the church to apologise or show concern for the damages, as the bishop he had visited the bank's location and discovered that the fallen mast had never been maintained.

“I found out that the base of the mast was all rotten. There was no environmental impact assessment. The basement and maintenance of the mast were rotten.

“The poles were rotten, with several perforations laced with rust that could not stand the test of time. It’s something that should have been removed if the organisation were to be on alert.

“They should have been the ones to replace the mast with solid steel structures, that was what was about to kill the Minister of Methodist Church, his wife and children.”

Bishop Ukut said that no representatives from the bank's management had come to the church to discuss the activities that needed to be taken.

When asked if the Methodist church intended to take the bank to court to demand compensation for the fallen telecom mast, the Methodist responded, "I actually do not expect any responsible organisation or individual to refuse."

He emphasised that the bank should thank God that no one was killed as a result of their negligence rather than denying responsibility, since it would be incredibly inhumane to do so.

The Branch Manager, Mrs. Joy Koku, informed LEADERSHIP that she lacked the power to comment on the matter when LEADERSHIP visited the bank to see how it was handling it.

”I have no authorisation to make any comment except for or big men from the headquarters.”