Former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam refuted claims that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government imposed taxes on lottery winnings, asserting that the administration only taxed bet winnings. Dr. Adam’s comments came in response to ongoing confusion over the NPP’s tax policies on gambling and lottery winnings.
Appearing on Joy News’ PM Express on March 17, Dr. Adam criticized the current Finance Minister for what he described as a misrepresentation of the issue in Parliament. He staunchly defended his earlier statements, clarifying that there was never any tax levied on lottery winnings during his tenure.
“I did not err,” Dr. Adam stated. “The tax in question was on bet winnings, not lottery winnings. What the current Finance Minister referred to as a ‘betting tax’ in Parliament was, in fact, never implemented under our administration.”
Dr. Adam went on to explain that the NPP government had indeed introduced a withholding tax on bet winnings, but there had been no corresponding tax on lottery winnings, despite prior discussions within the government. He accused the current Finance Minister of conflating the two and creating confusion.
“It was the tax on bet winnings that was implemented, not on lottery winnings,” Dr. Adam emphasized. “And when the Finance Minister described it as a ‘betting tax’ in Parliament, he was mistaken. The tax on lottery winnings was never enacted.”
The former minister also recalled his involvement in discussions with the National Lottery Authority regarding the potential implementation of a lottery winnings tax. He questioned why the Finance Minister, after initially misstating the issue in Parliament, had to later correct himself.
“I chaired meetings on how to implement the lottery winnings tax,” Dr. Adam said. “So, it’s perplexing to me why the Finance Minister was not more precise in his initial remarks.”
Dr. Adam’s remarks aim to clarify a growing debate surrounding the NPP administration’s handling of gambling taxes. His defense against the claim that taxes were wrongly imposed on lottery winnings underscores the complexity of tax policies in the gambling sector and the need for clearer communication.
With this clarification, Dr. Adam seeks to put to rest misconceptions about the NPP’s tax measures, emphasizing that the government adhered to legal and policy guidelines throughout its tenure.
Source:TheDotNews