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‘It doesn’t encourage hard work’ – Majority Leader justifies 10% withholding tax on betting, lottery winnings
Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has justified the Ghana Revenue Authority’s 10% withholding tax on all gross gaming winnings scheduled to commence on Tuesday, August 15.
According to him, betting does not encourage hard work but rather teaches people to engage in lazy activities.
Speaking in an interview on Kumasi-based Angel FM on Thursday, the Suame MP advised the youth to work hard and quit betting.
In his view, God only blesses hard and does not encourage lazy behaviors.
“I don’t believe in betting. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work and sweating to get money. Let’s be serious. As for me, I’m against betting coming into the country. I don’t support it because it doesn’t encourage hard work.”
“As an individual, I don’t engage in lottery because I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe in luck. Work hard so God will bless it.”
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced that it will start with the implementation of a 10% withholding tax on all gross gaming winnings from August 15, 2023.
According to the Authority, the previous 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on each stake will no longer be applied. Instead, withholding tax will be imposed on earnings that are accrued after each win.
The GRA further explained that the new policy is in line with an amendment to the Income Tax Act 2023 (No.2), Act 1094.
A Commissioner of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division at the GRA, Edward Gyamerah said there would be a punitive measure against any gaming company that disregards the new policy.
He stated that companies that flout the law would be subjected to fines, including having their licenses revoked.
“From August 15, we expect that when you are making the payments, you will withhold 10 percent to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). As you have been appointed as withholding agents, the obligation is on you to withhold”, he said.
The GRA also announced amendment to the Excise Duty Act, which has expanded the scope of excise duty to cover all fruit juices and also provide a change in rates for some products.
Following this, many Ghanaians have criticised the government and the GRA for the move. But the Majority Leader says the criticisms are unfounded.
Credit: Myjoyonline.com
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
