The National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s credibility has come under fire after its own Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, publicly expressed regr
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s credibility has come under fire after its own Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, publicly expressed regret over the cancellation of the controversial betting tax — a policy the NDC had heavily criticized and campaigned against during the 2024 elections.
Speaking on Accra-based Peace FM (104.3), the Minister for Sports and Recreation clarified that he did not propose a new sports tax but wished the 10% betting tax introduced under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government had not been scrapped.
According to him, proceeds from that tax could have been directed into a Sports Development Fund to support athletes, sporting infrastructure, and national teams.
“I did not propose a sports tax. But I wish the scrapped betting tax had not been removed and instead had been channeled into sports development,” Kofi Adams said.
A Tax the NDC Campaigned Against
During the 2024 general elections, the NDC built a major part of its economic campaign around promises to abolish what it described as “nuisance taxes” introduced by the Akufo-Addo government — including the betting tax, the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), and the Emissions Levy.
Then-opposition leader John Dramani Mahama accused the NPP of burdening Ghanaians, especially the youth, with unfair taxes on online gaming and sports betting.
The NDC’s message resonated with a large portion of young voters who saw the betting tax as an attempt to stifle their already limited entertainment and income options.
The party’s commitment to remove the tax was widely publicized across campaign platforms, social media, and rallies — positioning the NPP as out of touch with youth concerns.
However, new revelations suggest that the betting tax — which the NDC proudly announced as “abolished” in early 2025 — was never fully implemented under the NPP government.
NPP: “You Can’t Abolish What Never Existed”
Former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam under the NPP has since dismissed the NDC’s claim of abolishing the betting tax, calling it “a political deception.”
“Betting tax that they said they have abolished, we never collected Betting Tax. To tell Ghanaians you abolished something not implemented is to deceive the people,” he stated.
Indeed, according to NPP officials, while the betting tax was approved on paper, it was never enforced due to technical and administrative delays at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Yet, after taking office in January 2025, the NDC swiftly announced its repeal through the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which President John Mahama signed into law on April 2, 2025 — a move it celebrated as a fulfillment of campaign promises.
The fanfare surrounding the repeal helped the NDC project itself as a “youth-friendly” government committed to easing economic hardship — but Kofi Adams’ latest comments have now exposed contradictions in that narrative.
The Minister’s Remark Sparks Backlash
The Sports Minister’s admission that he wished the betting tax had been maintained — albeit for sports development purposes — has triggered widespread criticism from both political analysts and NPP communicators, who accuse the NDC of hypocrisy and propaganda.
Critics argue that the NDC campaigned on false claims, presented itself as liberating Ghanaians from oppressive taxes, and is now backtracking by acknowledging the same tax could have been beneficial.
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