New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has promised to provide incentives to churches and faith-based groups for their contributions to national development if elected as president.

Dr. Bawumia made this pledge during a campaign event in Sefwi Wiawso in the Western region, where he engaged with the clergy, imams, and other community stakeholders.

He highlighted the role religious organizations play in building schools and hospitals, usually without any government support. 

“I want to collaborate with the churches and Islamic institutions. If you look at the volume of development work we do in this country, they contribute a lot. They build schools and hospitals, but the government does not give them incentives,” he stressed.

Dr. Bawumia further noted that while foreign development partners receive incentives such as duty waivers on materials, local religious groups do not enjoy similar benefits.

“When foreign aid comes here for development, we call them development partners so they get certain support, such as waivers on duties on materials for the construction of schools or churches. But when the church or Islamic institutions are bringing such materials, they are asked to pay duty. I want to change that,” Dr. Bawumia said.

Dr. Bawumia proposed reclassifying churches and faith-based institutions as ‘development partners,’ which would entitle them to the same incentives as foreign aid organizations. 

This includes waivers on duties for equipment and materials used in development projects.

“I want to change the classification of the churches and faith-based institutions as development partners so they will then be entitled to the same incentives we extend to development partners.

“So when they bring equipment for development for schools and hospitals, they will also be exempt from duty. This will help a lot in the development of our country,” Dr. Bawumia stated. 

The proposal was well-received by religious leaders, with both the clergy and imams expressing their support for Dr. Bawumia's initiative during his campaign visits.

ID/OGB

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