‘We Never Collected Betting Tax’ - Minority Challenges Government
The Minority in Parliament has challenged the government’s claim that it has abolished the 10% withholding tax on lottery winnings, commonly known as the betting tax. According to Dr. Amin Adam, the former Finance Minister and Member of Parliament for Karaga, the tax was never implemented, making its so-called removal misleading. He argued that while the previous administration introduced the policy, it was never enforced, meaning no revenue was ever collected from it. By claiming to have abolished a tax that was never operational, the Minority believes the government is attempting to mislead Ghanaians into thinking they are offering financial relief when, in reality, nothing has changed.
In addition to the betting tax, the Minority also questioned the Finance Minister’s announcement regarding the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on motor insurance. They pointed out that VAT was already not applied to motor insurance policies, making its supposed abolition redundant. Dr. Amin Adam further accused the government of being deceptive, stating that instead of scrapping an existing tax, they had reintroduced VAT on non-life insurance policies while maintaining the exemption for vehicle insurance. This, he argued, was an attempt to manipulate public perception rather than provide genuine economic relief to citizens.
Beyond these specific tax concerns, the Minority has criticized the overall 2025 Budget, arguing that it lacks substantial measures to address Ghana’s economic challenges. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin described the budget as uninspiring and questioned its credibility, particularly given the absence of key initiatives such as the much-discussed "24-hour economy" proposal. He noted that the budget does little to restore public confidence or provide concrete solutions to the country’s financial difficulties. With these criticisms, the Minority is urging Ghanaians to scrutinize the government’s economic policies carefully, rather than accepting budgetary announcements at face value.
