The National Democratic Congress Government has been forced to issue a swift clarification after widespread media reports and public backlash suggeste
The National Democratic Congress Government has been forced to issue a swift clarification after widespread media reports and public backlash suggested that President John Dramani Mahama’s administration was introducing a new “Sports Levy” to fund the soon-to-be-established National Sports Development Fund.
The controversy began last week when reports quoted Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, as saying that government would introduce a dedicated levy to secure long-term financing for sports development — a statement many interpreted as the introduction of a new tax.
However, less than 48 hours later, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, took to Facebook on Friday, October 10, to categorically deny that Cabinet had approved any new levy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no such levy has been proposed, and neither has the same been approved by Cabinet,” he stated.
Kwakye Ofosu described the earlier media reports as “false and misleading,” insisting that Cabinet had only approved a bill for the establishment of a National Sports Development Fund, not a new tax measure.
He explained that the Fund would be financed through existing non-tax revenue streams within the sports and gaming sectors, including proceeds from sponsorships, licensing fees, and contributions from corporate entities.
“The Sports Fund will not depend on new taxes or levies but on revenue already available within the sports ecosystem,” he clarified.
Background to the Confusion
The misunderstanding appears to have stemmed from comments by Sports Minister Kofi Adams, who in an interview with Citi News on Tuesday, hinted that the government was seeking “a sustainable revenue stream” for sports through a levy.
“This initiative ensures that sports development in Ghana is continuously financed and not solely dependent on annual budget allocations,” Adams said, adding that the proposed levy would anchor the new Sports Development Fund.
His remarks came months after the government scrapped the controversial 10% betting and lottery winnings tax, which had been introduced by the Akufo-Addo administration in 2024.
The repeal, which took effect on April 2, 2025, followed President Mahama’s assent to the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, fulfilling a major campaign promise of the NDC to ease the burden on youth and low-income earners.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in his first budget announced the removal of the betting tax alongside the E-Levy and Emissions Levy during the 2025 Budget Statement presented to Parliament on March 11, 2025.
Political Reactions And Public Concerns
The initial reports of a “Sports Levy” sparked a wave of public criticism, especially on social media, where citizens accused the government of attempting to reintroduce taxation through the backdoor barely months after abolishing the betting tax.
Critics argued that the introduction of another levy contradicted the government’s message of “fiscal relief” and risked undermining public confidence in its economic reform agenda.
Opposition figures also seized on the confusion to question the government’s communication strategy.
Former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) dismissed the government’s claim that it had abolished the betting tax, arguing that “no such tax had ever been effectively implemented.”
“To tell Ghanaians you abolished something that was never collected is to deceive the people,” Amin Adam asserted.
However, data from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) contradicted his claim, showing that the 10% withholding tax on betting winnings was indeed implemented on January 1, 2024, generating limited but verifiable revenues before its repeal.
Government Moves to Calm Tensions
In the wake of mounting backlash, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu’s statement sought to reframe the narrative and calm public anxiety over potential new tax burdens.
He emphasized that the Sports Development Fund remains a key pillar of President Mahama’s policy to make sports financing more sustainable and predictable — covering infrastructure maintenance, grassroots development, and athlete welfare across various disciplines including football, athletics, and boxing.
The Fund, he noted, is expected to become operational in early 2026, once Parliament passes the enabling legislation.
“Our focus is on creating a reliable, transparent, and accountable mechanism to support Ghanaian sports — not to impose new taxes on the people,” he assured.
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