Author: johnmahama

The Honorable Cassiel Ato Forson, the new Finance Minister, has made it abundantly clear that the Government in its first budget in 2025 will scrap the betting tax. There have been commentaries in the public domain as to the propriety of scrapping tax in the betting industry. The betting tax that the Honorable Minister has been referring to is the withholding tax on bet winnings which is just one of the tax types in the betting industry. The withholding tax on bet winnings (winnings tax) is one of two tax types that is applicable exclusively to the betting industry. Although…

File photo of some children learning in darkness due to power cuts Ghana has seen great improvement in its electricity supply under President John Dramani Mahama. Contrary to what some people say, the country is not experiencing the frequent power outages known as “Dumsor”.Kwadwo Ye-large, also known as the Political Doctor, confirmed this by stating that President Mahama has effectively managed the power sector.”Under the previous administration, the situation was far worse. Ghanaians suffered long hours without electricity, which affected businesses, students, and the daily lives of citizens; however, President Mahama has taken strong steps to improve the energy sector,…

Destooled Nana Kusi Baaye II (L) and his sister, Akosua Nyamesem (R) The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, destooled Nana Kusi Baaye II, the Chief of Ohwim in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, following multiple allegations of misconduct and violations of traditional laws.During Baaye II’s appearance before Otumfuo to plead his case, his sister, Akosua Nyamesem, requested a platform to speak on her brother’s behalf. Many of the traditional leaders gathered at the Manhyia Palace for the proceedings believed she was going to advocate for her brother and ask the king for mercy.However, there was a moment of complete shock…

One-time New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary aspirant, Musah SuperiorA former Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive Officer and one-time New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary aspirant, Musah Superior, has shared his thoughts on how to rebuild the opposition party.The NPP stalwart emphasized the need for strong, independent leadership that cannot be easily manipulated if the party is to regain its former appeal.In a statement, Musah Superior warned that leaders who easily yield to the influence of godfathers and power brokers may not help the NPP become electable in the 2028 general elections.“We don’t only need strong, brave, and firm leadership to…

A Scottish businessman who disappeared in Kenya has been found dead. Campbell Scott, from Fife, was attending a conference at the JW Marriott Hotel in Nairobi when he was last seen by colleagues on 16 February. The 58-year-old was a senior director at credit scoring firm Fico. His employer confirmed to the BBC on Monday that local police had identified his body. A spokeswoman for the firm said staff were “devastated” by the news. She added: “Campbell was a leader in our international Scores business. “He joined FICO in 2014 and was instrumental in introducing Scores to new markets and…

The National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has refuted claims by President John Dramani Mahama that the Akufo-Addo-led administration criminally mismanaged Ghana’s economy.President Mahama accused the previous government of recklessness in handling the economy, leaving the country in ruins and passing on to him an economy in shambles.Speaking to labour unions during discussions on the country’s base pay adjustment in Accra last Thursday, February 20, Mr. Mahama stressed the need for Ghanaians to acknowledge the dire economic situation and act accordingly.“One thing that is a cardinal principle for us is to tell the truth at…

Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, has promised to reward communities in the region that actively fought against illegal mining, also known as galamsey with more development projects.Mr Eduamoah, during the Central Region Security Council’s working visit to an illegal mining site at Assin-Ewusem, a farming community in the Fosu Central Municipality, said the move was intended to encourage all illegal mining endemic communities, to join the crusade against the menace for mutual gains.He said these wrongful acts must not continue just to satisfy the greed of some few selfish people, whose actions posed serious threat to…

I am absolutely not in anyway relishing the widely reported midnight or early-morning raiding of the private residence of my relative the former Minister for Finance, Mr. Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, by elements from the National Security Agency (NSA), allegedly dispatched by President John “I Have No Classmates in Ghana” Dramani Mahama and led by Mr. Richard Jakpa who, as this author vividly recalls, not very long ago, was fiercely locked in an anti-official-corrupted related battle with former Akufo-Addo-appointed Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Geoffrey Yeboah-Dame (See “Richard Jakpa Led Raid on Ken Ofori-Atta’s Residence – Majority Leader Confirms” Ghanaweb.com…

Fitch Solutions is projecting inflation to average 18.8% year-on-year over 2025, and end the year at 13.6%. This will nudge back down towards the pre-pandemic average of 12.4% year-on-year over 2015-2019. “While Ghanaian inflation will follow a more stable and cooling path over 2025, it has started 2025 relatively sticky, coming in at 23.5% year-on-year in January. This is an acceleration from the 2024 low of 20.3% year-on-year in August 2024. Despite the slight reacceleration, inflation will continue to broadly come down and is supporting improving households purchasing power, particularly when considering inflation hit a peak of 54.1% in December…

The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) expresses optimism in the upcoming 2025 Budget Statement of the new Government. The assurance given by the Government to reduce the cost of doing business in the country by streamlining the tax system and effectively reduce taxes, duties and levies is a step in the right direction. With this approach, we fervently expect the following. That: All nuisance taxes will be scrapped to considerably prune down the number of numerous taxes that impede the growth of business in the country. The Value Added Tax (VAT) will be restructured to be more simplified, affordable…