Pius Enam Hadzide, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), has strongly criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the opposition party, for their condemnation of the newly introduced 10% betting tax.
The implementation of the 10% betting tax, which is part of the government’s strategy to generate revenue, has been met with disapproval and apprehension.
In a statement issued by the NDC youth wing, led by National Youth Organizer George Opare Addo, a series of actions were outlined with the aim of pressuring the government to retract the 10% betting tax.
This decision by the NDC stems from their view that the taxation policy places an unjust burden on the youth and the wider betting industry within the country.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Pius Hadzie expressed his astonishment, saying, “I’m pretty much scandalised listening to NDC, with the impression they are creating. If there is a problem with employment, in NDC’s view, young people should resort to betting, as a means of resolving whatever challenges young people are confronted with. I’m scandalised.”
“Let me just place it on record that, it is not just the Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who has issues with betting and what betting can do to the value system of any country, even the Minority Leader, Ato Forson has called on the state to ban all forms of betting”.
The CEO of NYA criticized the NDC for inciting the youth to oppose the government’s actions.
“The young people are being prepared for the future and if you want to lead the country, you should be discussing policies and not that there are hardships, young people should resort to betting, a game of luck, a game of chance. And that we are not going to encourage the Ghanaian youth who is hardworking, entrepreneur, by the way, to continue to work hard.”
Pius Hadzide acknowledged that, like other developing nations, Ghana also faces issues such as youth unemployment, but he reassured that the government is enacting measures to address these concerns.
“I do admit that just like other developing countries, there are challenges, youth unemployment, issues of education, issues of health…for the first time in this country, the young people of this country are now getting hope. Today, due to free SHS, hundreds of thousands of young people whose future would have been truncated at the basic level, are now in secondary schools,” affirmed the CEO of NYA.
Source – citinewsroom.com
