Gov't announces taxes on church anointing oils, holy water, chains, bangles, stickers sales

In the line with plans outlined in the 2019 budget, the government is showing more commitment towards expanding the tax net and right now churches are not left out.

The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Emmanuel Kofi Nti, has therefore served a timely notice to churches to get ready to pay tax on their sales from anointing oils and holy water as it is a form of revenue stream

He said plans are afoot to start prosecuting pastors who refuse to pay tax on sales from anointing oil, holy water and other items such as stickers in the case of Obinim.

The GRA Commissioner-General in a Joy News interview followed by Mynewsgh.com said that the only church activities exempt from taxes are offering and tithes.

“The man of God; is he, not an individual? And is he not accountable to the state for his tax obligations? There is an opportunity for us to look at it,” he said.

He said it cannot be true that taxing businesses owned by churches will be met with stiff resistance.

Asked about the popular Obinim Sticker he said: “it is income to him [Bishop Daniel Obinim].”