Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Vice President and 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia unequivocally rejected the notion of taxing churches, advocating instead for government support and collaboration with religious institutions during a campaign event in Techiman, Bono Region.
Speaking on Friday, May 10, 2024, as part of his regional campaign for the upcoming December general elections, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the invaluable contributions of churches to society and proposed that they should be recipients of state support rather than taxpayers.
Addressing the religious believers, Dr. Bawumia underscored the extensive societal roles churches play, including their involvement in education, healthcare, and community development. He highlighted the significant infrastructure investments made by churches, such as universities, hospitals, and schools, which he described as monumental. Dr. Bawumia firmly stated his opposition to taxing churches, asserting that they should be regarded as partners in national development and offering incentives to enhance their contributions.
“If you access the work the church has done, we should rather be paying them rather than they paying us. Unless you don’t understand the work the church has done. If you look at the way they try to keep the society together, the universities, the hospitals, the schools, it is just massive,” Dr. Bawumia emphasized.
Dr. Bawumia advocated for a collaborative approach between the government and churches, likening the relationship to that of development partners. He proposed providing incentives to churches and faith-based organizations to encourage their continued support for government initiatives. Dr. Bawumia emphasized the need for closer collaboration in managing schools, suggesting that churches could play a more active role in education.
“I want us to be partners in the way the development partners are with us. You are our domestic development partners, and we will give you incentives to do more,” Dr. Bawumia stated, emphasizing the importance of leveraging the resources and influence of churches for national development.
Dr. Bawumia’s remarks reflect a commitment to fostering partnerships and maximizing the contributions of religious institutions to societal progress and development initiatives
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