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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Moved by the rising number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, particularly in the northern part of the country, where almajiri children roam the streets in large numbers, the Omega Power Ministry (OPM) has come to the rescue.
General overseer of the ministry, Apostle Chibuzo Chinyere, has embarked on building a free school in Karu, Nasarawa State.
The school, which is expected to accommodate more than 200 pupils, will be operated on zero charges, covering bags, uniforms, tuition, shoes, books and feeding. As one of its 17 free schools spread across the nation, the school, as gathered, would be fully air-conditioned and computerised and will contain a sick bay.
The pastor, northern region, Samuel Ene Oguche, who represented the general overseer, told Daily Sun during the inauguration of a culvert leading to the school that Chinyere had also offered scholarships to more than 250 Nigerians to undertake programmes in Turkey, the United States of America, Canada, Germany and other countries.
“Chinyere is a man who knows that the offerings and tithes belong to the people for their welfare and not to enrich the pastor. He is a man who refuses to have a private jet but uses all the resources that come into the church for the betterment of the people.
“Recall that OPM has built 15 schools. The 16th one is coming up in Jos, which will be dedicated soon, and I am sure that this place (Karu) will be sped up. Very soon, we will commission it. When we talk about free school, we are talking about free uniforms, shoes, bags, books and even food.
“Omega Power Ministry has two free specialist hospitals. The essence of doing that is to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria. A lot of women who give birth at home because of poverty die in the process. He started a free hospital in Ohanku Ndoki in Abia State. He built one of the largest free hospitals in Port Harcourt. Also, OPM has 18 free estates where the less-privileged are living free of charge.
“The church has built a large skills acquisition centre, where people go and learn many vocations, free of charge. We have over 20,000 Nigerians who have been trained in various vocations in oil and gas, pipeline welding and tailoring, among others.
“Apostle Chinyere is one of the general overseers who do not discriminate. More than 200 less-privileged children are under his care. He is feeding them, buying clothes for them. He sends them to school. And he has offered scholarships to more than 250 Nigerians to undertake scholarship programmes abroad,” Oguche said.
The traditional ruler of Karu, the Etsu Karu, Luka Panya Baba, thanked the church for siting the school in his domain.
“I want to assure you that you will have full support from the local authority, that is, the chiefdom of Etsu Karu. We are grateful because this is progress for the entire local government,” he said.
