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Cleric warns against taxation of churches

By on April 28, 2013

Founder of Cherubim Seraphim, Success Gate Inc, Akure, Ondo State, Primate Ademisokun Turton has cautioned against the imposition of taxes on churches by the Federal Government, arguing that such move will have adverse effects on the citizenry who are members of the Church.

He said this during the inauguration of newly elected officers of the Ondo State chapter of the Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church executive in Akure.

Turton said: “Imposing taxes on churches would worsen the socio-economic crisis which Nigeria is going through. The truth of the matter is that church members are already paying income tax. Rather impose tax on the churches, government should consider giving subventions to church-es.”

He noted that the dreaded Boko Haram sect’s current violent campaign will not cease until there is a strong indication that a northerner will succeed President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

“I am not surprised that the Boko Haram sect has rejected the amnesty offer from the Federal Government. It is now clear that their agitation is political. What they want is either Nigeria breaks or they rule it.

“It (Boko Haram) is a problem created by northern elite. It is the political class in the North that are using the Boko Haram people to foment trouble. The rejection of amnesty showed that they have realised that creating more trouble is the only way they can rule Nigeria.

“If President Jonathan will contest for a second term in office then there cannot be an end to Boko Haram,” the cleric stated.

The primate recalled that crises have contributed to the emergence of Nigerian leaders since 1999.

“Let us consider how crisis produces leaders in Nigeria. First, it was crisis created by the annulment of June 12 that made Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to be president. The problem of Niger Delta, also assisted in no small measure to make Jonathan president.

“So they (northern leaders) needed a crisis also to make a northerner, president but I can assure you that if Jonathan says he would not contest again for a second term in office that will be the end of Boko Haram in this country,” he argued.

The cleric therefore appealed to “the Federal Government to compensate all victims of Boko Haram attacks by giving their families handsome financial largesse and erect monuments in their honour.

 

 

 

[Vanguard]