Former Minister of Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has stated that claims by the government to abolish three taxes — emission tax, betting tax and VAT on motor vehicle — is a deception.
Reacting to the budget statement presented by the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson in Parliament on Tuesday, March 11, Dr Adam, who is the Member of Parliament for Karaga, explained that these taxes have never been collected, and it is preposterous for the Minister to claim that the taxes would be abolished.
In his presententation of the budget, Dr Forson stated, “We will abolish the 10% withholding tax on winnings from lottery, otherwise known as the ‘Betting Tax’; we will abolish the Emission Levy on industries and vehicles; we will abolish the VAT on motor vehicle insurance policy.”
Deception
But, in a Facebook post minutes after the budget presentation, Dr Adam labeled the government’s announcement to cancel those taxes as “NDC’s tax deception”.
Emission tax
Providing details on the emission tax, Dr Adam said, “This was not implemented and so it can’t be abolished.“
Betting tax
On the betting tax, the former minister said, “The tax applies to lottery wins and betting wins. What the Minister said he is abolishing is the lottery wins which knowingly or unknowingly he called it ‘betting tax’. We have never collected the tax on lottery wins so it cannot be abolished.“
VAT on motor vehicle
On the VAT on motor vehicle, the Karaga legislator stated, “There is no VAT on motor vehicles insurance being collected currently. It can’t be abolished.”
