Pius Enam Hadzide, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Authority (NYA), has expressed enthusiasm for the government’s introduction of a 10% tax on winnings from betting and lotteries.
He believes that this tax will discourage gambling, particularly among young people, which is a matter of concern for the authority.
During an interview on The Point of View, Hadzide explained that the tax was crucial in deterring youth involvement in gambling, a trend he considers hazardous for a nation’s wellbeing.
He remarked, “We have been concerned about the increasing incidences of gambling that is affecting even the education of children. Our assessment is that when you go to many of these betting sites, you see young people in uniforms betting. We have developed the culture that the Ghanaian is known as one who is hardworking, one who is committed to decent work and honest work. Those are our values. This idea of young people attempting to get rich quick is a dangerous path to chart for any country in the long term.”
He continued, “So we have always advocated that the government should take steps to discourage gambling. We were looking at both legislative and physical measures, such as tax measures, to discourage and disincentivize people from indulging in excessive betting, especially now that our own research has indicated that the vast majority of the youth in our country are drifting into that area. In our view, it is a ticking time bomb. So we applaud the government because we have brought up this matter before past and present officers of state, and we are excited that the government is finally listening to us and implementing measures to disincentivize gambling.”
In response to the introduction of the 10% betting tax as part of revenue generation efforts, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) criticized the move.
The NDC youth wing, led by National Youth Organizer George Opare Addo, announced a series of actions aimed at pressuring the government to retract the tax. The NDC views this taxation policy as burdensome, particularly for the youth and the broader betting industry.
Addressing these concerns, Hadzide commented on Eyewitness News, stating, “I am pretty much scandalized listening to the NDC, with the impression they are creating. If there is a problem with employment, in the NDC’s view, young people should resort to betting as a means of resolving whatever challenges young people are confronted with. I am scandalized.”
He went on to highlight that individuals from both the Majority and Minority political factions have expressed reservations about the implications of betting on a nation’s values.
Hadzide criticized the NDC for inciting the youth against the government, noting, “Let me just place 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 NYA CEO condemned the NDC for mobilizing youth against the government’s actions.
Source – citinewsroom.com
