Flashback: Tax 'anointing oil and candle' sales in church – Rev. Emmanuel Asante

He described the sale of such materials in the church as "real business." Rev. Asante added that most churches operate commercial activities and therefore must be taxed.

He said: "They (government) have now come to realize that some of them are engaged in real business and that is what some of us are saying that they will have to pay tax on those commercial activities. I am sure government is focusing on those smaller churches who are engaged in real business.”

Read the full story originally published on August 30, 2018, on Ghanaweb

Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante, has said churches that are into the sale of anointing oil and other materials must be made to pay tax on those commercial activities.

According to him, the sale of anointing oil and candles is a real profit-making business, which requires that taxes are paid on them.

Adding his voice to the ongoing discussion on whether or not churches must pay taxes, Rev. Prof. Asante, who is also the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, noted that churches, including his, that operate commercial activities already pay taxes, therefore, the proposal is not new to them.

He told Chief Jerry Forson on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Thursday, 30 August that: “I am sure the government is talking about the smaller individual churches.

“Probably, the government had all along thought that all these smaller churches were just surviving on the offerings but they have now seen that some of them are engaging in big business – selling oil and some even producing their own candles and other products.

“So, they have now come to realize that some of them are engaged in real business and that is what some of us are saying that they will have to pay tax on those commercial activities. I am sure government is focusing on those smaller churches who are engaged in real business.”