Cleric Urges Government to Make Churches Tackle Poverty
Yomi Kasali faults wealthy pastors amid widespread hardship, proposes tax incentives for churches that support the poor.
The General Overseer of the Foundation of Truth Assembly and former Director-General of the Yemi Osinbajo Campaign Organization, Reverend Yomi Kasali, has called for stronger government policies compelling churches in Nigeria to play a more active role in poverty alleviation.
Speaking with journalists ahead of the 2025 conference tagged “The Giant Killer” with the theme “The Stone and The Slingshot”, Kasali decried the widening gap between wealthy church leaders and their struggling congregations. He noted that while many clerics live in luxury, more than 70 percent of their members remain trapped below the poverty line.
The cleric urged government to introduce tax incentives for faith-based institutions that channel part of their income toward supporting the vulnerable. He stressed that such collaboration between government, the church, and wealthy individuals is crucial in the fight against poverty.
Kasali emphasized that the forthcoming conference is not only a spiritual gathering but also a rallying call for churches to rise as agents of change, compassion, and integrity in confronting what he described as the “giant killer” of poverty.
