“The Ugly,” played by Elizabeth MacLean on the DNT popular show The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly has called on the government to consider taxing churches because they have clearly become business ventures by which charismatic pastors are making money.
Whereas the more traditional churches had established long traditions of building schools and hospitals, the so-called one-man churches are conning innocent congregants and using their money to live lavish lifestyles, “Ugly” opined.
“These pastors boldly state ‘I need ten people to give me GHC1,000 right now’ and people would line up and pay the money,” she said. And these people truly believe that they are paying these monies for blessing but in reality all they are doing is funding the lavish lifestyles of these pastors,
In an internet poll conducted by DNT ahead of the show, which airs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8pm Ghana time, 83.78% of respondents agreed that the church has become a business.
But arguing in the contrary, Georgette Kyei who played “The Good” last Friday insisted that the government should not be persuaded to alter its policy because of a few bad apples who have found their way into the clergy.
“The Good” began by pointing out that these churches are not registered as profit making businesses and so they cannot be taxed.
“Besides, is the government also going to begin taxing NGOs, which some are also using to make money?” The Good argued. Also policemen and women who take bribes in the open as well as government officials who receive kickbacks are all known to rake in money but are not taxed so why single out the clergy?
The show was moderated by “The Bad” who was played by Rabiatu Abdallah.
On Monday March 1, the Good, The Bad, and The Ugly will argue whether it was a good idea for the president and his vice to take the new COVID-19 vaccine together considering the order of presidential succession and the third in line being a member of the opposition party.
Grace Adorboe, DNT News, Accra.
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