Government has been urged to rescind its plan to tax churches operating across the country.

According to Rt. Rev Stephen Richard Bosomtwe Ayensu, any attempt to tax the offerings and tithes of churches will be like “touching the eye of God”.

Men of God in the country are divided over the proposal put forward by the Commissioner of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Kofi Nti.

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He has promised to pay informants 25 per cent of a penalty against churches hiding under a fellowship to make money without paying taxes to the state.

Kofi Nti’s decision has gotten the backing of President Akufo-Addo arguing that, churches have now moved into the realm of wealth creation and prosperity.

Speaking at the 2018 Synod of the Global Evangelical Church in Accra Thursday, the President said churches were no more the charity institutions they used to be as they are now focusing into education and healthcare delivery among others, thus placing them in the tax net.

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Though some pastors have welcomed the decision, others have kicked against it insisting that they pay taxes.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Friday, Rt Rev Bosomtwe Ayensu urged government not to interfere in the affairs of the church.

He explained that, tithes and offerings are not gifts hence should not fall under taxable incomes.

Rt Rev Bosomtwe Ayensu who is the Superintendent Minister Dzorwulu Circuit-Methodist Church opined that, the church is doing more than what taxes can cover hence it will be inconsequential to tax churches.

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The Methodist Bishop enumerated a number of social projects his church has been embarking on, saying a lot of churches also have special projects aimed at alleviating the plight of the deprived in society.

Therefore, Rt Rev Bosomtwe Ayensu said the church must not be seen as a money-making machine.




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6 COMMENTS

  1. God is principled. Jesus said, “give what is Caesar’s to Caesar and what is God’s to God. Besides is the duty of the Christian and the church to respect the people in authority (the government)…. Or ino bi wah the Bible dey talk pastor??

  2. Dear Methodist Osofo,

    Your Comment is a Joke

    Has those foreign churches paying Taxes to the govt incured the wrath of God??

    The churches in Ghana are Greedy, You tax your cicuit and Dioces to pay huge accessment per month and you and you didnt incur the wrath of God.

    You have to Pay

  3. I don’t think so. Collecting taxes from the churches is not wrong and will not trigger the wrath of God on the government in anyway, as some may perceive it to be. Unless those people don’t know nor understand what the government should use the taxes for.

    If churches will use the tithes and offering to buy themselves expensive mansions and luxurious cars in expense of the poor congregants why will it be wrong if they pay taxes to help develop the country and to help get jobs for these church members.

  4. Here we go again. Hypocrisy at its best. The most reverend father therefore supports some churches duping the unfortunate fidels and enriching themselves fabulously. How can a pastor brag that he can buy 4 Rolls – Royces and cannot pay tax? Does he know that the poor women porters who earn a meagre living under the scorching sun pay taxes. Yes Ghanaians who are fighting for justice want to see the wrath of God. If he is a just God he will understand the sufferings of the down trodden Ghanaians. These empty useless threats should stop.

  5. I wonder why our largely money making churches will run away from any attempt to be taxed. There is a common proverb that as you make your bed so you must lie on it. That’s we must accept the consequences of our own misdeeds. We have even have enough opportunities to declare Ghana a Christian nation, with little regards for Islam and Traditional religions, made worse by cooked census figures. Now is the time to prove our worth.

  6. And why are the churches now doing business in the name of God?”And there will be a time and the time is already here, where the true believers shall worship the Lord in spirit and Truth. God is a spirit and desire true believers to worship him such” John4:23-24 today what do we see collecting of Money in every church where does the money go?even Jesus payed tax.

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