A member of the Greater Accra Regional Communications team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Richard Nii Aryee, has openly criticised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for imposing a ten percent tax on betting winnings. 

He portrayed the president as a "Chachahene," a term implying a “betting lord”, due to his decision to tax bet wins in the country.

During his participation as a panelist on the Ghana Yensom morning show hosted by Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman on Accra 100.5 FM on August 23, 2024, Mr Aryee firmly voiced his opinion on the matter.

He specifically pointed out that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is unique in his choice to implement a ten percent withholding tax on betting wins.

In his critique, Mr Aryee labelled the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as lacking innovation and accused the governing party of grasping at straws in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections. He criticised the NPP for not thinking creatively, especially when there are straightforward solutions available.

He further criticised the government's approach to taxation in the betting sector. Instead of imposing the tax on the betting companies, the government opted to impose it on the citizens – Mr Aryee found this perplexing. 

He argued that this move might actually attract more betting companies to the country.

Mr Aryee suggested that a more effective approach would have been to impose the tax on the betting companies directly, to act as a deterrent for numerous new betting companies entering the market. 

He lamented the perceived lack of foresight within the NPP and accused the party of focusing primarily on the interests of its members and associates of the president.

In summary, Mr Aryee's believes the lack of creative problem-solving and the inclination towards serving the interests of party people and affiliates is not fostering the good of the country.