&w=64&q=75)
Sports journalist Dan Kwaku Yeboah is calling on the government to maintain the betting tax despite the finance minister's assurance that the levy will be cancelled.
Yeboah believes that instead of scrapping the controversial betting tax, the funds generated could be used to develop sports in the country. He is, therefore, urging President John Mahama and Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson to reconsider their stand.
According to him, maintaining the betting tax will enable the government to create more jobs for the youth through investment in sports development projects.
The taxes we collect from betting, instead of cancelling it let’s channel it into sports development... When we invest in sports it will succeed. It’s one area that His Excellency the President can use to create jobs for the youth of this country.
Furthermore, he urged Ghanaians to support Adams in his role as substantive minister.
Yeboah also supported calls by Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Iddie Adams for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) leadership to adhere to Mahama’s direction that no public official should travel on first-class flights.
Finance Minister pledges to scrap betting tax
The Minister of Finance during his vetting promised to abolish both the betting tax and E-Levy in his first budget if confirmed.
Speaking before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, January 13, Dr. Forson argued that the current betting tax has failed to meet its objectives and should be scrapped.
I insist that the betting tax must be abolished, and as Finance Minister, I will abolish it in my first budget because it has failed.
He explained that the tax had not generated the expected revenue and had only placed a heavy burden on the betting sector without benefiting the wider economy.
Ghanaians remain eager to see whether the tax will indeed be abolished or Yeboah’s advice will be considered by the government.