If you’re looking for a place to gain a lot of money from, especially in Ghana, just open a church. Over the years, the number of churches in Ghana have grown to become even more than the hospitals or even schools across the country. Anyone who wakes up claims he has been called by God and someway somehow, we find ourselves going to these churches which run literally everyday at every hour.
You’d even be shocked to find out that more than half of these churches have their own tv channels. If you can’t go there in person, you can watch them live on your television and even send in your offering or tithe through mobile money. Then don’t get me started on the holy water, or north water and the million and one things our pastors are selling in church today.
I’m not saying being a religious person is bad. Big honestly, religion to some extent has been turned into a money making business in my country Ghana. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that a pastor is selling long life syrup and people are buying it. That syrup would most likely not have certification from the Ghana standards authority yet we will buy it and take it in.
I’m a small business owner who pays a lot of tax. If you’re ask me, a church or mosque can pay more than 10 times my tax and not even be affected. But with the amount of taxes I pay monthly for my small business, we sure feel the effect on our revenue. At this point, I wouldn’t whole heartedly vote for the motion that our churches and mosques should be taxed because even God knows we could use that money as a country.
Our religious institutions gain a lot of money from its members and this money is mostly used to pay the pastors, workers and so cover for maintenance. I’m sure they could also squeeze in some money for taxes. This money to some extent is also a way to support the country as a whole and I believe that to be one thing our churches, mosques and even shrines will stand for. No one will want to live in a country where conditions are very bad. Our taxes go a long way into making our country a better place for us. So, anyone we can and does pay taxes is in turn contributing to making our country a better and safe space for us all.
I do not think worship centers paying taxes will affect worship in any way because they really are two different things. If God wills it and these worhip centers are willing to pay taxes, I believe worship will even be better because we are all contributing to a better nation.
Images belong to me.
