Former Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso Constituency, Hon. Kennedy Kwasi Kankam has revealed that the betting tax introduced by the previous government was designed to discourage betting activities rather than generate revenue.
Speaking on the Wontumi morning show, Hon. Kankam explained that the tax was implemented on moral grounds to divert the attention of Ghanaians, particularly the youth, from betting games to more productive pursuits like education.
According to Hon. Kankam, the tax wasn’t yielding significant revenue for the state, which he believes supports the notion that its primary purpose was to deter betting rather than raise funds.
He noted, “You would realize it wasn’t giving us any revenue.”
Given this, he downplays the significance of the NDC’s decision to scrap the tax, suggesting that the state won’t lose much revenue as a result.
Hon. Kankam’s comments align with those of Dr. Forson, who has also minimized the economic importance of the betting tax, stating that it generates less than GHC 50 million annually.
