Business
Sammi Awuku backs former Finance Minister
Former National Lotteries Authority Boss Sammi Awuku has backed the former Finance Minister’s claim on Betting Tax
The former Finance Minister, Dr.Amin Adam, after the 2025 budget said the NPP did not implement any betting tax.
Additionally, he noted that for the NDC government to say they have abolished something which did not exist was unconscionable.
The former minister has come under fierce criticism on social media by some Ghanaians who believed the betting tax existed.
In a post backing the former Finance Minister, Mr.Awuku wrote.
Read the full post below;
On the So-Called Abolition of 10% Tax on Lottery Wins….
First off, It is important to clarify that lottery is different from betting and same as its taxes. The National Lottery Authority (NLA) is under the Ministry of Finance, while betting is regulated by the Gaming Commission under the Ministry of the Interior.
This distinction matters, yet it’s often ignored for political convenience.
After listening to today’s budget presentation by the Finance Minister , I couldn’t help but notice a rather misleading claim that the government has abolished the 10% lottery tax on winnings.
But let’s be honest: how do you abolish a tax that was never implemented?
For the record, under the previous NPP administration, we engaged extensively with stakeholders, including the then Finance Minister and Hon. Amin Adam and the GRA after the announcement of the proposed 10% tax on lottery wins and recognized early on that taxing lottery winnings would be problematic.
It would have been difficult to administer, cripple the Lottery sector, unfair to players and ultimately more harmful than beneficial.
That is why the tax was never implemented nor enforced.
So, let’s call it what it is. This isn’t an “abolition” but rather a convenient attempt to score political points.
The truth is, the NPP government had already made the decision not to burden Ghanaians with this lottery tax because we understood its impact.
Hon. Amin Adam won’t be wrong to say the Betting tax was never collected anyway since the Finance Minister Hon. Ato Forson also referred to the 10% on Lottery wins as “Betting Tax”. So if that’s what the Finance Minister refers to as Betting Tax then it was never implemented even though passed in 2023.
Ghanaians deserve honesty, not spin. Policies should be about real impact, not just headlines. Let’s focus on the issues that truly affect livelihoods.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has announced plans to step up enforcement and monitoring activities as part of the second edition of the National Sanitation Day, which will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2025, across the Accra metropolis.
According to the Assembly, the exercise aims to promote cleanliness, improve sanitation, and ensure full public participation in the national campaign to make Accra cleaner and healthier.
To achieve this, the AMA will deploy 21 Public Health Officers, 200 members of the AMA Sanitation Taskforce, and 81 labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metropolitan areas.
The operation will also be supported by heavy-duty equipment such as compactor trucks, backhoe loaders, excavators, tipper trucks, and pay loaders to help desilt drains, clear refuse, and transport waste.
The AMA stated that, in line with the President’s directive and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (Communal Labour) Bye-Laws, 2017, all shops, markets, and business premises are to remain closed from 6:00 a.m. until the exercise is completed to allow for full public participation.
The clean-up activities will focus on desilting drains, sweeping streets, brushing road kerbs, and removing unauthorized banners.
Key areas expected to see intensified work include the Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metro, which covers John Evans Atta Mills High Street, Asafoatse Nettey Road, and Agbogbloshie; the Ablekuma South Sub-Metro, which will focus on Chorkor (from Galilee to Lante Maami through Chemuenaa) and the Guggisberg Road to Korle Bu stretch; and the Okaikoi South Sub-Metro, which will include the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and the Police Depot area (from Alajo Junction to Abeka Junction).
The AMA reminded the public that anyone who fails to comply with the sanitation directive or refuses to participate in the communal labour commits an offence.
Offenders may face a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment of between 30 and 180 days, or both. Continuing offenders will face additional daily penalties.
The Assembly is therefore, urging all residents, traders, transport operators, and businesses to actively take part in the clean-up exercise, stressing that maintaining a clean city is a shared responsibility.
It added that the goal of the exercise is to make Accra a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable city for everyone.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has described the Ghana cedi as a proud symbol of the country’s identity and sovereignty as the nation marks 60 years since the currency was first introduced.
Speaking at the Cedi@60 celebration held today, October 28, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre, Dr. Forson noted that the currency represents more than just a means of exchange.
He mentioned that it is part of Ghana’s national pride and economic journey.
“It is my distinct honor to join you today as we mark 60 years of the Ghana cedi. The Ghana cedi represents the pride of our nation and our heritage,” he stated.
Dr. Forson explained that since its introduction in 1965, the cedi has played a vital role in trade and daily transactions, connecting people and supporting economic activity.
“For 60 years, through inflation, devaluation, re-denomination, and recovery, the cedi has remained resilient. It continues to stand as a symbol of our national sovereignty and remains the only legal tender of our republic,” he stressed.
He highlighted the endurance of the cedi through Ghana’s economic challenges and political transitions, noting that its continued existence reflects the resilience and determination of the Ghanaian people.
The event, themed “Cedi@60 – Our Money, Our Pride,” marks six decades since the introduction of the Ghana cedi, which replaced the British pound during the First Republic under President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
By: Jacob Aggrey
