NLA
The National Lottery Authority has refuted media reports claiming that over two million persons risk losing their jobs at the end of 2022, if the Authority licenses a private operator to operate Lotto 5/90.
A publication by ‘3news.com’ with the headline “Over 2m persons to lose jobs as NLA reportedly outsources lotto digitisation contract” alleged some impropriety with the licensing of Private Lotto Operators (PLOs) by NLA.
A statement released yesterday by management of NLA expressed disappointment at the decision by the media house to publish “such a misleading story” without giving the Authority a right of response as required by the ethics of journalism.
“We would therefore like to set the records straight in this rejoinder and expect that you give it the same prominence as you did with the initial story as the ethics of journalism stipulates,” the statement said.
VAG Lotto
The statement clarified that NLA was exploring the possibility of digitalizing its VAG Game to increase revenue and keep honouring its contractual agreement with the Veterans Administration of Ghana.
“In addition, Management has started deliberations together with the Board on building a game for VAG without it being a 5/90 so we can independently grow both games and increase revenue for us to honour our obligations with the Veterans Administration Ghana or the Military.
“The NLA currently pays VAG a sum of One hundred and twenty thousand Ghana Cedis GHS 120, 000 every month. In March 2022, the Board and Management presented a cross-country vehicle and a cheque of Five hundred thousand Ghana cedis to VAG, all in fulfillment of the Authority’s obligations to VAG,” the statement noted.
Despite these, the Authority noted, the VAG Game is not fetching it enough money currently, saying “we therefore believe going digital with the VAG Game as has been done with the Original 5/90 Game on the Point of Sale Terminal (POST) and Online, can rake in enough revenue to support our Veterans, support government and our Good Causes”.
Going digital
The statement indicated that government had been heavily driving the digital agenda, hence many of the services rendered by state institutions had gone digital.
The Authority disclosed that the dynamics of the times had therefore propelled it into the digital space, pointing out that, “currently, the Original 5/90 Game is operated both digitally and on the Point of Sale Machine”.
It added: “The Director-General, Mr. Samuel Awuku, upon his appointment, together with the Board of NLA, renegotiated the contract renewal with our online Partner, KGL from GHS 25,000,000.00 to GHS 55,000,000.00 to rake in more revenue for the Authority. They also secured GHS 2,000,000.00 for the Good Causes Foundation and an additional GHS 3,000,000.00 as a Stabilization Fund to cushion our Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs) and retailers”.
The Authority said it had several engagements with the LMCs on the matter, stressing “the NLA would not take any drastic measures without informing them”.
“It is therefore disingenuous on your part to create a perception that over two million people will be put out of their jobs when the Authority has been constantly engaging the leadership of the LMCs and the LMCs themselves,” it added.
The Authority therefore assured the general public and its valued patrons that there was no such impropriety, as management operates an open door policy without entertaining any inappropriate behavior.
“As an Authority, our paramount interest lies in maximizing revenue for government; that has always been our avowed aim and is the sole agenda at the heart of all our operations. We believe that, all well-meaning Ghanaians, and especially our valued patrons as well as our sector Ministry, are living witnesses to the achievements of NLA in recent times, and Management is poised to achieve even greater heights. We therefore urge the general public to ignore any unfounded speculations,” it concluded.
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