LAGOS—The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has insisted that churches and mosques are not exempted from tax payment.
It argued that the constitution says every citizen must pay tax irrespective of where he or she works just as it describes the use of consultants for tax collection as an aberration.
FIRS’s Executive Chairman, Mrs. Ifueko Omogui-Okauru, said this in Lagos.
She said non-government organisations are not exempted from tax payment. According to her, “Nigerian law recognises that you are supposed to pay tax except only to the extent of your involvement in charitable activities.
”What Lagos is doing with religious bodies is law. The law has been there all these while. If a church or mosque is involved in doing business, it is subject to pay tax and there is no law that says because you are working in a church and you are earning salary you are not subject to tax.”
Omoigui-Okauru also urged states to encourage and motivate their officers in the collection of tax instead of giving the responsibility to consultants.
She said: “It is not the responsibility of consultants to collect tax. It is the job of tax officers to do that. I am completely opposed to this because it is a way of mortgaging the future of this country.”
The church should not pay tax but the people earing salary in the church shold pay tax.
It is very sad and highly regretable that the church should ever be reminded, persuaded or compelled to pay tax to the authorities within their situations and beyond. This shows the lack and apllication of the scriptual knowledge some of the church leaders in particular in Nigeria. The Biblical scriptures in both the New and Old Testaments confirm this as a must, an obligation and compulsory. Our Lord, Jesus Christ instructed Christians in the Old Testament to pay tilte and even went to the extent of placing curse on whoever refuses to pay. He again practically reaffirms it in the New Testament when He was asked whether it was right for the people to pay tax. He asked them to bring him a coin and they did. He asked them whose head’s was inscribed in it and they replied; ” Caesar’s “. He said ” give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. The Church and its staff including pastors should pay whatever levies such as Tenament or Land rates and other taxes levied to the deserving authorities. Doing this fulfills the scriptures and responsibilities to God and humanity. Please, the Church and its staff should pay taxes. May the Almighty grant you the means and bless you all. In Jesus name, Amen.
How would you expect the church of GOD to pay tax? May God help Nigeria. Just take a survey of people who eat God’s money and see what it has caused them. Nigeria!!! Una won chop God money? Hmmmmm
yes of course there is nothing much to say they should start paying tax because mostly church’s have not been turned to investments by greedy, insane, hopeless, people under the pretext of worshiping God,they make much money some don’t pay back to the society they are interested in the number of branches they open and how much they get. i want to point out another fact a law should be passed in the senate about noise making from church’s, mosque, they should keep there large speakers inside there buildings and stop disturbing they peace of others that’s noise pollution
they should pay tax
The Pastors and Imams should pay tax if they are on Salary and any arm of the Church/mosque that is profit making. But the Church to pay tax is not biblical. Jesus and the Apostles paid tax as individuals but none of the synagogues was taxed. Let us not invite the wrath of God or allow the Pastors because of their opulent living lead us to sin against the “MIGHTY ONE”
Even Jesus admonished his followers to ”give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar” when the tax collector came calling.
I expected the churches in their uprightness to even volunteer to pay the taxes instead of being prodded.
After all the pastors and imams are living fat upon a sort of income. Is it “manna” that they are eating?
Off course the individual members of the church – pastors included – ought to pay tax . Also any profit-generating arm of the church should also pay tax.
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I think it is a very good idea, for churches and mosques to pay taxs, cus some of them are opening this religion house as a means for personal interest. God Help us!