Nigerian Churches Now To Be Taxed?

Delegates at the on- going National Conference yesterday voted to enlist churches, mosques and religious organizations into the tax net.

However, a move to scrap Islamic and Christian pilgrims boards sharply split the delegates yesterday leading to an uproar and forcing the conference leadership to move the vote on the issue to today.The delegates in their deliberation on the report of the committee on religion also voted that federal and state governments should stop the sponsorship of Islamic and Christian pilgrimages.

According to reports from Vanguard,the decision to make religious bodies pay taxes came up when a delegate representing Civil Organisations, Mallam Naseer Kura in his contribution to the debate on the report observed that religious leaders were making much money and should be taxed.

At the resumed session after break, the issue of payment of tax by the churches, Mosques and other religious bodies came up and delegates unanimously voted for it and it carried that if the recommendations of the Conference sails through at the end of the exercise when presented before the National Assembly for ratification, leaders of religious bodies will now be subjected to paying of tax like other Nigerians, business men, government organisations and enterprises.

Delegates however rejected setting aside Fridays as free working days when the matter came up for voting.
There was however a very storming session yesterday and near a free for when the issue scrapping Pilgrims Welfare Boards came as a follow up to the decision that governments should no longer sponsor pilgrimages to the Holy Lands, just as shouts of no enveloped the hall, forcing the presiding officer and Conference Deputy Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi to abruptly adjourn the meeting till today where the issue would be voted on.

A delegate representing Kogi State, Chief Olusola Akanmode had moved a motion that since the house had agreed that no government should sponsor pilgrimages and as a rider, all Pilgrims boards should be wrapped and he was seconded by a delegate representing Edo State, Chief Charles Edosomwan, SAN.

Soon after the motion was moved and seconded, there was a counter motion by a delegate representing the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Charles Ibiang and supported by Senator Saidu Dansadau with explanations that the boards must remain as they travel to Mecca to make arrangements for accommodation, transportation and other welfare for the pilgrims.

Following two motions on ground, Prof. Akinyemi then called for a voice vote in which the nays prevailed.

They will reconvene today to vote on whether the Pilgrims Boards should remain or be abolished.
The religion Committee had recommended  that  the Federal government and state governments must not adopt any religion as state religion.