Former Finance Minister and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament Mohammed Amin Adam has denied claims that his administration implemented the controversial betting tax.
His response follows Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s presentation of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, where he announced the abolition of several taxes, including the betting tax and the Electronic Levy (E-Levy).
During a press conference organised by the minority, Dr. Amin Adam refuted the assertion, emphasising that the betting tax was never enforced under his leadership.
“Betting tax that they said they have abolished, we never collected betting tax. So to come and tell Ghanaians that you have abolished something that you have not implemented is to deceive the people of Ghana,” he stated.
The betting tax, introduced under the previous government, imposed a 10% withholding tax on winnings from sports betting and lotteries. However, despite widespread criticism from industry stakeholders and the public, Dr. Amin Adam insists that the policy was never operational before his exit from office.
The issue has also drawn attention to the campaign promises of the NPP’s then-presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Speaking at the party’s manifesto launch in Takoradi on August 18, 2024, Dr. Bawumia pledged to eliminate both the E-Levy and betting tax if elected.
“We’ll also reduce withholding tax for small-scale gold exports to 1% to curb smuggling and abolish the betting tax,” he affirmed.
With the new budget formally abolishing the tax, the debate over its actual implementation remains a contentious issue in Ghana’s political and economic discourse.
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