By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, May 15, GNA–The Vice President and Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has restated his dedication to enhancing the collaboration between the Church and the State to accelerate development if he becomes President of the Republic.
The affirmation came during a meeting with the Clergy in the North East Region.
“I also want to have a golden age of relationship between government and the Church and Faith-Based Organisations. The church is the foremost development partner of the government. Why do I say so? Look at the number of schools the churches have built.
“Look at the number of hospitals the churches have built. Look at the number of universities the churches have built, and faith-based organisations have built. Look at the number of people the churches and faith-based organizations take care of daily. Can you imagine, just take a thought for a moment that you wake up tomorrow and all the schools, universities, and hospitals the churches have built disappear?
“They just disappear. How would Ghana be like? Ghana will collapse. Isn’t it? We will not survive in this sort of situation because there will be chaos?”
The Vice President also took the opportunity to clarify an earlier statement regarding incentivising churches instead of imposing taxes on Churches and FBOs, which had been misunderstood by some Ghanaians.
“I made that statement within the context of acknowledging the significant contributions of churches and other faith-based institutions to the country, including the construction of schools, hospitals, and other vital infrastructure,” Dr Bawumia stressed.
He further remarked, “Unless you don’t understand the work the church has done. If you are looking at the buildings, the way they keep society together, the universities, the hospitals, the schools, it is massive. It is just massive. Many churches have hundreds of schools.
“So, I don’t see and will not have a situation where we are taxing churches,” he assured the Churches and FBOs.
Dr Bawumia concluded that his government would critically consider giving churches incentives to support the government’s developmental strategy, thus acknowledging the essential role of churches and FBOs in strengthening social cohesion.
He proposed a partnership strategy akin to international counterparts for the mutual benefit of the government and religious institutions in Ghana.
GNA