Dr Mohammed Amin Adam is the former Minister of Finance
Social media users have heavily descended on members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) following their claims that the previous government neither implemented nor collected the controversial Betting Tax, which has been abolished by the current administration.
Following Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson’s 2025 budget presentation, his predecessor, Dr Mohammed Amin Adams, addressed a presser, where he stated that the previous government never implemented the Betting Tax.
He further explained that the government’s announcement of abolishing the tax was merely an attempt to mislead the public, questioning how a levy that was allegedly never implemented could be abolished.
“The Betting Tax that they claim they have abolished was never collected. We never implemented the Betting Tax and so to come and tell Ghanaians that you have abolished something that wasn’t implemented is to deceive the people of Ghana,” he stated.
His claim, however, has sparked widespread outrages and backlashes on social media, causing the Betting Tax to trend at the top of X on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
Critics, particularly among the youth who engage in game betting, have suggested that their winnings may have been subjected to deductions, with some questioning the validity of the former government’s assertion.
They referenced the former government’s campaign promise to cancel the Betting Tax, and many wondered how this would have been possible if the tax was never implemented or collected.
Some critics also seemed to feel that the current stance of the former government raises concerns about their intentions and the potential for misleading the public with their campaign promises, especially since they also promised to cancel it.
Many have also questioned where the deducted funds from bet winnings went if the former government claims they never implemented the tax.
However, other critics strongly defended the former government’s stance on the Betting Tax, clarifying that the tax on lottery winnings was different from the Betting Tax mentioned by the minister.
The 10% withholding tax on winnings from lotteries and betting was also introduced by the former government.
This tax, which is automatically deducted at the point of payout for all betting, games, and lottery wins, faced intense opposition from the general public.
Other trending topics are #2025 Budget, E-Levy, and, the NPP.
#2025 Budget
Netizens have shared their satisfactions and impressions about the budget so far, with many expressing optimisms about the government’s direction.
E-Levy
The announcement of the E-Levy cancelation by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has generated excitement on social media with many expressing their excitements about the government’s decision.
The 1% levy was imposed on electronic transfers with the charges applied to Mobile Money transfers between wallets on the same electronic money issuer, transfers from a wallet on one electronic money issuer to a recipient on another, transfers from bank accounts to Mobile Money wallets, transfers from Mobile Money wallets to bank accounts, and bank transfers on an instant pay digital platform or application originating from an individual’s bank account.
Here are some of the posts under the trending topic:
Herh the man said them never took betting tax!! 100 years for NPP
— KALYJAY (@gyaigyimii) March 11, 2025
Investors here, were you paying betting tax?
Do you have receipts to show?
— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) March 11, 2025
Minority 2025: The betting tax never existed
Minority 2025: Don’t cancel the betting tax
Minority 2024: We will cancel the betting tax if you vote for us.A bunch of dishonest confused old men🫵💔
— Lady Pearl ❤️🩺 (@Ladyemmy_) March 11, 2025
“we never collected betting tax” but this is from your manifesto pic.twitter.com/XDmNV8qwAV
— Receipts Guy (@receiptsguy) March 11, 2025
How do you say that the betting tax was never implemented and collected when at the same time, it featured in your own election campaign and you said you would scarp or remove it? Herh!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Nathan Quao (@nathan_quao) March 11, 2025
Dr. Amin Adam 2024 Campaign: We will remove Betting Tax
Dr. Amin Adam 2025 Budget Comment: Betting Tax was never implemented
— roland walker👣 (@rowalkerghana) March 11, 2025
Vote for us to cancel “e-levy and betting tax” is saying they never implemented betting tax …
These guys are jokers
— Bee 🐝 (@Bridget_Otoo) March 11, 2025
Sometimes I wonder how certain things even become points of debate. The tax was on lottery winnings. The GRA issued a practice note to clarify definitions and interpretations, and sports betting falls under lottery operations. So when you claim you didn’t implement a betting tax… pic.twitter.com/S8b3sZhgxe
— Alfred (@CallmeAlfredo) March 11, 2025
Dr Amin Adam just lied on National TV that they never collected Betting Tax while fasting..I can’t believe what I’m seeing
— Jollof Guy 🐐 (@JollofGuy) March 11, 2025
bawumia say he go abolish betting tax, ein party members say betting tax never dey in the first place🤣
— dracojeremy🔫 (@jeremyb___) March 11, 2025
So where did the betting tax go? Have we been scammed?
— Don (@Opresii) March 11, 2025
The NPP now claims they did not implement the betting Tax, so who was collecting all those monies? Now there’s confusion in their camp 🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/icmI6y1NBS
— AƑƐNYO™ 𓃵 (@AF3NYO) March 11, 2025
His people behind him are even surprised! So if you never collected betting tax, why did you say you would scrap it during the campaign? Ei uncle! https://t.co/RRjkT7vkkd
— Benedict Owusu (@KwesiBenedict) March 11, 2025
Hon. Mohammed Amin says whaaaat? The government never collected betting tax? So who was collecting it, because trust me, it was being collected😲
— Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo (@Fentuo_) March 11, 2025
MAG/AE
Also, watch a compilation of today’s news in Twi here: