Onyemelukwe Calls For Increased Church, State Partnership

Lady Chidi Onyemelukwe, Anambra 2021 Governorship Aspirant under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has called for increased synergy between the church and the state.

Onyemelukwe made this call on Sunday while speaking with journalists at the sidelines of the thanksgiving service of the third session of the thirty-first synod of the Anglican Diocese on the Niger held at St. John’s Anglican Church, Eziowelle, Anambra State.

Onyemelukwe observed that the Constitution calls for a separation of the church and the state. She however said it does not prevent both entities from working together to address critical needs of the society, especially in the areas of education, health care, social welfare and value re-orientation.

The 2017 deputy governorship candidate of the PDP said her government, if elected, will continue and institutionalise the periodic subventions to faith-based and other qualifying private education and healthcare service providers. According to her, such policies help in the provision of affordable yet quality education and healthcare service delivery to the masses.

Onyemelukwe, who runs the Alex Ekwueme Educational Foundation, said the high cost of living has made it even more needful for the society to show a duty of care to the needy, poor and the vulnerable. Onyemelukwe said faith-based institutions, through years of intervention, has vital database and grassroots reach the state can leverage on to run targeted welfare schemes.

Earlier in his sermon, the guest speaker, The Rt. Rev Stephen Akobe, Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Kabba, spoke on the need to be doers of the word of God, and not hearers only.

Onyemelukwe commended the President of the Synod and the Bishop, Anglican Diocese on the Niger, Rt. Revd. Dr. Owen Nwokolo for his leadership. The Lord Bishop prayed for Onyemelukwe, asking God to grant her heart desires of restoring Anambra on the right path to progress.