http://www.tribune.com.ng/21052009/news/news9.html

You must pay tax, Lagos tells pastors, imams

Kunle Awosiyan, Lagos - 21.05.2009

Lagos State Government is not relenting in its tax campaign and compliance as it announced its intention to compel Pastors and Imams to pay taxes.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said on Wednesday, that it had become compulsory for paid pastors and imams to pay part of their earnings as taxes to the state government purse.

According to Ipaye, the state government has observed that most pastors and imams received salary, but failed to pay their taxes, adding, “this is the time for them to pay because it is now a law that every individual that derives income must pay tax.”

He explained that the compliance might not affect pastors and imams who depended on tithes and zakat, but those who employed by churches and mosques for religious purpose.

He said, “they will pay under personal income tax because they are on salary like me and you.”

Speaking about penalties for defaulters, Ipaye said that the power to punish them had been conferred on the Board of Lagos Internal Revenue Service through the Personal Income Tax Act.

He said, “We, as a government, are always very reluctant to disrupt business activities, we only use this power to compel defaulting companies as a measure of last resort.”

Is this a wise move from Lagos State Goverment?

It's about time! At least we can get back some of the money pastors like oyakhilome steal from us. But somehow i have a feeling its no use,we collect from the theiving pastors and give to the kleptnmanic politicians,who steal it and pay tithes and offerings back to their criminal spiritual fathers.its a vicious circle!

Maybe it will help to put the finances of churches from the realm of high secrecy to a publicly available document.

It may also help to compel our ministers to disclose the gifts ( a lot of them dubious) they receive from members of the public for the purpose of taxation.

I am waiting to see if our spiritual fathers will not engage in under-declaration of their actual incomes