Cancelling Betting Tax Is Nothing But A ‘Populist Policy Choice’ – Atik Slams Gov’t
Atik Mohammed has kicked against the government’s cancellation of betting tax.
The Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson presented the 2025 budget before Parliament and promised to cancel the betting tax.
“We will abolish the 10% withholding tax on winnings from the lottery, otherwise known as the Betting Tax; we will abolish the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) of 1%”, Dr. Ato Forson stated.
But to Atik, the betting tax must remain for correctional purpose.
“Taxation, sometimes, is not just for revenue reasons. Sometimes, you use taxation to correct certain behaviors. Sometimes, firm behavior is corrected through taxation”, he remarked on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” show.
He described the abolition of this tax as nothing but a “populist policy choice”.
“I think it was more a populist policy choice than a real one because, truthfully, people are making money on bettings. It is also creating a societal problem, so you can achieve two objects with one intervention. Government will get revenue from their earnings, at the same time dissuade people from engaging in such act.”
Source: Ghmessenger.com
