You must pay tax, Lagos tells pastors, imams

Kunle Awosiyan, Lagos - 21.05.2009

Lagos State Government is not relenting in its tax campaign and compliance as it announced its intention to compel Pastors and Imams to pay taxes.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said on Wednesday, that it had become compulsory for paid pastors and imams to pay part of their earnings as taxes to the state government purse.

According to Ipaye, the state government has observed that most pastors and imams received salary, but failed to pay their taxes, adding, “this is the time for them to pay because it is now a law that every individual that derives income must pay tax.”

He explained that the compliance might not affect pastors and imams who depended on tithes and zakat, but those who employed by churches and mosques for religious purpose.

He said, “they will pay under personal income tax because they are on salary like me and you.”

Speaking about penalties for defaulters, Ipaye said that the power to punish them had been conferred on the Board of Lagos Internal Revenue Service through the Personal Income Tax Act.

He said, “We, as a government, are always very reluctant to disrupt business activities, we only use this power to compel defaulting companies as a measure of last resort.”