Gov’t urged to exempt church-based universities from paying tax

Reverend Dr Cyril Fayose, President of the Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC), has appealed to the government to exempt Church-based tertiary institutions from paying tax.

“We do not make or declare profits in the first place… It means the question of paying taxes is a non-starter for those of us registered as companies limited by Guarantee.” Rev. Dr Fayose said at the seventh matriculation of the University.

He said “but for the Churches, we would not be able to expand infrastructure.”

Rev. Dr Fayose said institutions such as the EPUC rather needed government assistance to be able to produce the “best quality human resource for development.”

“Government must of necessity extend the GETFUND to private tertiary institutions for the provision of infrastructure, laboratories, research grants etc,” he said.

He said such assistance from government would be a practical demonstration of the recognition that it alone cannot bear the responsibility of expanding and providing the best educational opportunities for the citizenry unless in collaboration with the private partners.

Source: GNA