President Akufo-Addo has said that the recent activities of churches in the country could result in taxation of the Church.
He said the Church, which was known for its charity and projects in education, health, and other social interventions is shifting into the sphere of prosperity.
Speaking at the 2018 Synod of the Global Evangelical Church in Accra, Akufo-Addo said the path of modern Christianity appears to justify calls for the Church to be taxed.
“There are increasing calls for churches to be taxed, it is not difficult to see what is driving these calls, for years, and the churches are seen to be leading the drive for development, they built and run schools and hospitals, they led the campaign for sanitation,” Nana Akufo-Addo said.
“It is not surprising that there are calls for taxes to be imposed on church income, when you step out of the charity man, out of education, out of healthcare; you are putting yourself in the line of the tax sphere,” he added.
Akufo-Addo’s comment comes on the back of recent conversations about the possible taxations of churches and other religious establishments due to their recent demonstration of opulence and flamboyant display of wealth.
Akufo-Addo said in the past “the church preached and practiced….[but now] compete to show who is more powerful and rich.”
He told the gathering that “our country will not make any progress if the church contradicts and undermine it by preaching miracles as the answer to our needs….Hard work, education and the grace of God are more reliable oaths to riches than miracle.”
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
