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Cleric kicks against move to tax religious centres

Cleric kicks against move to tax religious centres

From Fisayo Akinduro,  Osogbo
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The Bishop of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministry in Osun state, Bishop Seun Adeoye has condemned plans by the state government to place taxes on religious centres.

Addressing a press conference at the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Osogbo, Bishop Adeoye said the decision to collect taxes from the clergy is a threat to Christianity.

Adeoye, the Osun State Coordinator and Spokesman, World Bishops Council (WBC), Africa claimed that the Department of Internally Generated Revenue in the state had on September 12, 2019 announced its intention to place taxes on religious centres in the state.

It would also be recalled that the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola had been canvassing for payment of taxes by citizens to complement government’s efforts at developing the state.

Adeoye said collection of taxes from priests would birth revolution in the state and asked government to rescind its decision.

He said, “in its bid to ensure success in the collection of these taxes, the state government had last week, subtly compiled names of all religious centres in the state, especially churches. This move is satanic and I see this as one of the projects of Antichrist to stifle the Church of God to extinction.

” It must be emphasised that Churches are not business centres. Churches are places where children of God congregate to worship God. Those who assemble in the Church are same people who had performed their civic responsibilities to the society. Members of our Churches had already paid their taxes because we taught them to do so”, he said.

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Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Ismail Omipidan said the state government did not at any time ask religious centres to pay tax.

He claimed that the person that spoke on the television programme was referring to shopping malls and institutions owned by religious centres that they would pay income tax.

Omipidan said it was possible Bishop Adeoye misconstrued the person stressing that there was no law that compels government to tax churches, mosques and shrines and that the state government could not do what is not constitutional

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Cleric kicks against move to tax religious centres

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Cleric kicks against move to tax religious centres

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