Govt has obligation to support churches, MP says

 THE Government has an obligation to support churches in the country, Gazelle MP and Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Malakai Tabar says.

“The Government has an obligation to assist churches especially with their infrastructure development,” he said.

Tabar said churches were present in communities long before the Government was established.

“Therefore, churches continue to carry out a delicate role in the communities especially with regards to spiritual development and confronting social issues such as family problems, alcohol and drug-related matters,” he said. 

Tabar assisted churches in his electorate last year and has committed to assisting more this year to carry out maintenance to their run down worship houses.

Many of these churches, especially in the North Coast area of Gazelle, fell victim to volcanic eruptions since 1994 and now need urgent repair to roofing and water tanks. 

Some churches in other parts of the Gazelle Peninsula were built in the 1950s or soon after World War II and also need urgent repair.

Last year the district allocated over K200,000 from the MP’s discretionary fund to assist various congregations of the United, Catholic, Seventh-day Adventists and local churches. 

All cheques were paid to local hardware suppliers according to material listing provided by the churches.

Tabar said he would continue to assist the churches during this term, adding that churches were the direct partners of the Government in providing spiritual, social and economic development to the people.

Tabar said he was sympathetic towards churches because the livelihood of congregation members and parishioners has been greatly affected by the economic woes of the cocoa and copra industries on the Gazelle Peninsula, especially since the churches collected a lot of money through offerings by the people.

He has promised to continue his support to the churches, groups and individuals through to 2017.

The funding support ranged from K10,000 to K20,000 for each church. The helping the churches was the recognition of the very important services they provide in terms of health and education.