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Children of the poor especially in the churches may soon have access to quality private university education as the Commonwealth Covenant Church International (CCC Int.) in Alode Nchia Eleme, Rivers State, is set to establish its private university in Nigeria that is targeted to offer subsidised academic programmes for the poor in society.
The Most Reverend Moses O. Kattey, the arch-bishop and general overseer of the church, who disclosed this to BDSUNDAY at the church headquarters during a two-day 2nd session of the 9thSynod meeting, said the university project would gulp about N5billion to be sourced from private investors.
Kattey said the primary motive of the church to establish the university which was born out of concern for poor Nigerian parents who can hardly afford the high cost of tertiary education in the country, assuring that fees would be highly subsidised at the Covenant University.
The cleric also said admission into the university would be simplified through remedial programmes to qualify eligible students complete their degree studies instead of the rigours new intakes go through the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) system with attendant exploitations.
According to him, the school board is shopping for partnership with private individual (s) willing to invest counter-funding which would qualify the investor a campus to be built for him or her in any location after expiration period of agreement with the university authority.
“Unlike some private universities established by some churches in Nigeria which are seen to be too expensive for the poor members, the Commonwealth University when in operation would have human face so that God would take the lead in running it devoid of human exploitation,” the bishop said.
He also said that the church, which was established in 1977, was in spiritual re-enforcement to invest in income generating businesses such as the up-coming university to enhance its sustainable and dynamic global leadership in the 21st Century anchored on its mission statement.
The spiritual leader emphasised thus: “Our Board of Trustee members and serving clergies are passionate to soar with the church like the eagle, because what limits a leader is the force of the unknown; principalities and powers and witchcrafts which are agents of limitation. They thwart church progress, mislead and misdirect leaders to frustrate the mission and vision of the church”.
Kattey expressed optimism that, “No matter how tough and bleak the economy may look, God will consistently prove His Sovereignty and awesomeness to His people who put their hope in Him in truth and in spirit”. He pointed out his steady gratitude to God for providing means of survival to about 170million Nigerians globally between 2015 and 2016 at the heat of the recession, political and security challenges.
He further disclosed that the church with a humble beginning, focuses on reaching out to the poor in both spiritual and other means of survival and that it is consolidating its presence in some countries beyond the shores of Nigeria like Ghana, Cameroun and Kenya.
Godwin Egba, Port Harcourt
