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PFN faults new law prescribing levy for Christian marriage certificate

By Michael Egbejule, Benin City
09 December 2019   |   2:40 am
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has described the newly introduced marriage certificate law for Christians by the Federal Government as outrageous and unacceptable.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has described the newly introduced marriage certificate law for Christians by the Federal Government as outrageous and unacceptable. National President of PFN, Rev. (Dr.) Felix Omobude, in a statement issued in Benin City at the weekend, cautioned against what he termed anti-Christian law on the Church in Nigeria by the Ministry of Interior.

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior recently announced a compulsory N30,000 licence charge for Christian worship centres to conduct marriages in Churches and N21,000 for each marriage certificate. Omobude, who added that the policy was not only exploitative but an attempt to commercialise Christian marriages in the country, said the PFN would use all legitimate means to make the Federal Government to rescind on the new marriage certificate law.

“If the Ministry of Interior is in dire need of funds, it should look elsewhere and resist the temptation of placing extra-financial burden on Christians and their churches. “This is very unfair and to the best of our understanding, the new law is targeted against the Church because traditional and Islamic marriages are exempted from paying the new marriage certificate fees.

“PFN is at a loss as to why Christian marriages should be in the exclusive list of the nation’s constitution.“The PFN, therefore, urges the Federal Government to immediately shelve the unpopular policy targeted against Christian marriages in the country,” the statement reads.

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