Former Finance Minister and NPP MP, Mohammed Amin Adam, has strongly denied allegations that his administration enforced the contentious betting tax, a claim that has sent social media into a frenzy.
His statement follows the presentation of the 2025 Budget by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who announced the abolition of several taxes, including the E-Levy and 10% Betting Tax.
However, Dr. Amin Adam, speaking at a minority press conference, criticized the claim as misleading, asserting that the tax was never implemented under his tenure.
“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 said.
The betting tax, initially introduced under the previous government, imposed a 10% withholding tax on sports betting and lottery winnings. The policy was met with strong opposition from industry stakeholders and the public.
Dr. Amin Adam’s remarks align with the earlier pledge by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, then-NPP presidential candidate, who vowed to abolish the tax if elected. Speaking at the party’s manifesto launch in August 2024, Bawumia also promised to cut the withholding tax on small-scale gold exports to 1% to curb smuggling.
With social media buzzing over these developments, the debate surrounding the controversial tax and its actual enforcement continues to fuel political and public discourse.
