Betting tax announcement sets social media ablaze
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced the removal of the tax in the 2025 Budget presented to Parliament yesterday, but former Finance Minister Dr. Amin Adam responded by saying that the tax was never implemented under the NPP regime, hence a deception by the current administration.
During the 2024 general elections, the then-presidential candidate for the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, had promised to abolish the betting tax, along with the E-Levy, if elected.
Dr. Bawumia reiterated this promise during the launch of the NPP’s manifesto in August 2024, stating, “We’ll also reduce withholding tax for small-scale gold exports to 1% to curb smuggling and abolish the Betting Tax.”
But Dr. Amin Adam and other opposition figures maintain that the betting tax was never implemented during the NPP’s administration, and the government’s announcement to abolish it is misleading.
The confusion has sparked a fierce debate on social media, with commentators divided over the subject.
The hashtag #AbolishTheTax quickly began trending, with individuals from all walks of life sharing their disbelief.
Some users expressed support for Dr. Adams, praising him for clarifying that the betting tax was never collected under his tenure, while others chastised him over the blunder.
“How can they abolish something that was never implemented?” one user tweeted, gaining traction among others who felt misled by the government’s claims.
Others poked fun at the situation, sharing memes and sarcastic comments about the development.
“When you try to take credit for something you never even did,” one meme humorously stated.
At the same time, there were those who voiced concerns about the implications of the betting tax proposal from the previous government and its impact on younger Ghanaians.
