Charles Owusu, a member of the New Patriotic Party has urged President John Mahama to retain the betting tax despite the promises to abolish it during his campaign rallies.
Owusu believes the betting tax serves as a deterrent for the youth from excessive gambling while providing the government with crucial revenue to help restore the economy.
Speaking in an interview on Peace FM, Owusu suggested that instead of removing the betting tax, President Mahama should focus on scrapping the E-levy, which he argued is more burdensome. He even proposed increasing the betting tax for greater impact.
“I appeal to President Mahama not to scrap the betting tax. It should remain in place. In fact, I would have preferred the government to take 60% of betting winnings as this would discourage the practice.
“He can scrap the E-Levy, but the betting tax should stay,” he stated.
To ensure his plea reaches President Mahama, Owusu called on influential figures to convey his message, including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Duncan-Williams, and Rev. Owusu-Bempah.
He emphasized that Ghana needs revenue to boost the economy, and the betting tax is an essential part of that.
“I appeal to those who have President Mahama’s ear—such as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and other prominent figures—to advise him that Ghana needs money. The betting tax is one of the ways to secure those funds,” Owusu said.
He further explained that there are other taxes more deserving of removal than the betting tax.
“There are taxes at the ports—19 different charges, including import tax, ECOWAS levy, and network charges. Scrapping some of these taxes would be more beneficial. Those are the ones that should be removed, not the betting tax,” he concluded.
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