President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama
The Institute of Community Sustainability has issued a stern warning to President John Dramani Mahama over his proposed abolition of the betting tax, urging him to reconsider the decision due to its potentially harmful impact on Ghana’s youth.
The institute expressed concern that scrapping the tax could worsen the prevalence of sports betting among young people, leading to increased addiction, financial instability, and reduced productivity.
This development follows President Mahama’s campaign promise to eliminate the betting tax introduced by the previous NPP government.
The promise appears close to fruition after Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister of Finance, revealed during his vetting on Monday, January 13, 2025, that the tax generated minimal revenue for the economy and that its removal would not significantly affect government finances.
Despite this rationale, the Institute of Community Sustainability, through a statement signed by its Executive Director, Eric Jerry Aidoo, expressed strong opposition to the proposal.
The statement reads:
“In a country of 32 million people, we already face immense challenges in providing adequate mental health support, with only four mental health centers and no sports psychologists. Encouraging betting among our youth by abolishing this tax will only worsen these issues.
“Instead of removing the betting tax, we urge the government to either maintain or increase it as a deterrent to youth betting. The revenue from this tax could be directed towards establishing psychiatric hospitals in every region, addressing the critical mental health needs of the population.”
The institute also stressed the importance of providing sustainable employment opportunities for the youth.
“They need jobs and support to thrive—not policies that may perpetuate their struggles. If necessary, we are prepared to take to the streets in mass protest to demonstrate our opposition to this measure. We call on President Mahama to prioritize the future and well-being of Ghana’s youth over short-term populist measures,” the statement concluded.
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