Ghana’s MTN Tower Deal
CCIJ member Emmanuel Dogbevi published a piece in collaboration with Finance Uncovered and Ghana Business News that found that Ghana could lose GH¢400 million ($68,906,112) in capital gains tax following the sale earlier this year of MTN’s investment in a mobile phone tower business in the country. Ghana may not be able to tax the sale because it took place offshore. The practice, known as an “offshore indirect transfer,” is not illegal, although policymakers around the world are under growing pressure to curb the practice because of its huge revenue cost.
More of Emmanuel’s work with CCIJ:
Benin still holds journalist Ignace Sossou in jail despite mounting evidence of his innocence
Lottery
Lotteries Are Using the Pandemic to Expand Online, Raising Concerns
In an article for World Politics Review, Jon Allsop, Raymond Joseph and Jeff Kelly Lowenstein published a story exploring the global lottery industry’s expansion of online lottery play during the pandemic. The transition has been well underway in some countries and regions, although others have pushed back on the change.
Read the article here. Set up a complimentary subscription here to read the full article.
“Scandal-ridden” Lottery board chairman to leave in November
GroundUp’s ongoing investigation into the South African Lottery, lead by CCIJ South African Hub Leader Raymond Joseph, had led to a vacancy in the position of chairman of the National Lotteries Commission. The term of the incumbent Professor Alfred Nevhutanda is due to end on November 30th. The chairperson has been embroiled in a number of controversies, including refusing to resign from his position when a Member of Parliament asked him to earlier this month.
Read the whole story here.
Check out more from CCIJ’s lottery project at https://gamingthelottery.org