Sammy Awuku, former Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, has expressed enthusiasm over the government’s decision to scrap the betting tax. Apexnewsgh reports
Awuku, a vocal critic of the tax, described it as a counterproductive measure that has failed to yield positive results in many jurisdictions.
“I’m excited that the betting tax is going to be scrapped,” Awuku said in an interview with Daily Guide Network (DGN). “I’ve been consistent about it, even during the NPP era, and I said it is something that personally has not worked in many of the jurisdictions anytime you have introduced taxes on betting.”
Awuku highlighted the challenges posed by the tax, particularly for government-owned institutions like the NLA. “Lottery was part of the betting tax. The National Lottery Authority, for instance, is owned by the government, and apart from the things that they do, at the end of the day, they must also contribute to the national kitty,” he explained.
The tax, Awuku noted, created an unfair advantage for illegal betting operators. “If the government is taxing itself, then what will happen is that the underground operators that we call the illegal operators will become emboldened. If you play with the government, you attract a 10% tax on what you win. But if you play with the illegals, you get your full money.”
Awuku also criticized the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for its inconsistent stance on the issue. “The difficulty with the NDC position is that earlier the Finance Minister-designate had said that it should be banned—not just the tax being scrapped,” he said.
As a former Director-General of the NLA, Awuku’s concerns are rooted in his experience. Previously, he revealed that the government had not been able to collect even a cedi from the betting tax due to challenges with the framework guiding the process.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
