Tearing the Clergy Between Tax, Cathedral and Double Track

The clergy in Ghana is today having a plateful of decisions to help the Presidency take on burning issues that may affect, not only the church, but also the future of the country.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration has, since January, 2017 demonstrated its determination to make the clergy very central in the charting of governmental direction and advice. And true to his word, he had since been in some form of regular consultation with the ‘men in cassock’.

Last Wednesday’s meeting at the Jubilee House was expected to have discussed series of issues. In one breadth, they were to give their views on the contentious double track system, while in another breadth; they were to share their thoughts on the location of the controversial National Cathedral.

But on a third hand, the hosts of the meeting were to rather brief the clergy on government’s intention to tax religious bodies that are involved in business activities in the country.

The commissioner-general for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), it is recalled, recently told the media he was targeting businesses hidden under the guise of church or religious activities. He was quoted as saying:

“We’re not taxing the church, no. We’re taxing the other businesses done aside the church itself. Most churches have schools, shops and all that. Those businesses are in the name of the church but they are also businesses on their own. So long as they get income, they should pay taxes as well.”

Reports say while a large number of the religious leaders in attendance embraced the tax proposal, and also gave their blessing to the double track policy, the meeting was inconclusive on the location of the National Cathedral.

According to the Vice Chairman of the Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches, Victor Osei, the Board of Trustees agreed to hold another meeting on Tuesday 4^th September 2018, with President Akufo-Addo to take a final decision on the matter.

It is therefore not surprising that the president, even though he had held previous meetings with the clergy, stressed that he was going to regularize such meetings.

“On a regular basis, it will be good for me to meet with you so I can listen to matters that are of concern to you. Matters that are of concern to you, are of concern to me too and I am hoping that what we are doing here today, will be a regular feature of my government. I hope we have the opportunity to meet and hold deliberations that are in the hearts and, the mind of government, it is important that from the different angles from which we approach the public interest, we work together.”

THE PUBLISHER wishes to advice the President to be wary of the intended regular meetings with religious leaders.

In the paper’s view, since Ghana is a circular state, the presidency should not be seen to be in bed with religious leaders of any persuasion, as making such meetings the norm could open a floodgate to many demands.

Such meetings, if not controlled, could become the basis for a convention (or unwritten constitution) that MUST be followed in the future at all cost.

On the recent meeting, we think that, while it was appropriate to have met the clergy over the tax and cathedral issues, they are not very strong stakeholders in the double track issue.