A campaign promise by former President John Mahama that he would abolish the 10% withholding tax on betting and lottery winnings if he is reelected as Ghana’s President may get him summoned before the leader of the church where he fellowships as a practicing Christian – the highly respected Reverend Stephen Yenusom Wengam, General Superintendent of Assemblies of God.
Responding to the promise to abolish tax on bet winnings, the immediate past Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said he and John Mahama attend the Assemblies of God church and the biblical teachings of that church are against gambling, betting and encouraging same therefore he sees no reason his fellow church member should go against the teachings.
“The former President and I attend the Assemblies of God Church and I may have to report him to our General Superintendent Rev. Stephen Wengam if he seems to be encouraging betting and such lifestyles,” Osei Kyei-Mensah told Angel Fm. He spoke in Twi.
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The former Majority Leader, in that same interview explained that as a principle, he has generally been against any thing that discourages the youth from believing in working hard to earn a decent living.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu suggested that encouraging the culture of betting is a direct way of discouraging the youth from working hard.
He explained further that the tax on bet winnings, cigarette, alcohol and such lifestyles, serves is to, among other reasons, serve as a disincentive to persons who may want to engage in them.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu insisted that the teachings of Christianity forbid the culture of betting and he expects former President Mahama, being a Christian to observe same.
On the same matter of a promise by the former President to abolish bet wins tax if he becomes President again, Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI-Africa, has expressed his misgivings.
“Despite the economic challenges, I do not agree that we should completely remove taxes on the winning cash of betting. He can revise the tax downwards,” Franklin Cudjoe told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday.
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The IMANI-Africa President noted further: “some of the boys were complaining and I understood them because they argue that ‘you are not creating jobs for me as a government, the little joy I get from betting, you tax the joy away’. Of course, we don’t want that, but I think there has to be a middle ground.”
“John Mahama should have said ‘Look, taxes must be implemented to generate revenue for the country; however, the rate will be revised’. I would have agreed to that but in terms of doing away with it, that is more political talk,” Mr. Cudjoe noted.
