Director General of NLA, Sammi Awuku
Ghana’s National Lottery Authority (NLA) has stated its readiness to assist Nigeria build a strong lottery industry.
According to the Director General of NLA, Sammi Awuku, the Authority and the Nigeria Licensed Lottery Operators would collaborate to enhance operations, relying solely on integrity as a key driving force.
“It is interesting to know that Nigeria uses our Draw Numbers. That is because of the integrity and credibility of our system. But, in as much as Nigeria is benefiting from NLA, we hope that this working relationship would also rake in some benefits for us in Ghana as well,” he said.
This came up when the leadership of the Nigeria Licensed Lottery Operators paid a working visit to the NLA.
Citing Ivory Coast and Sierra-Leon as countries that depend on Ghana’s Draw Numbers, Mr Awuku mentioned that Ghana is also committed to the ECOWAS project, adding that it would be prudent for Ghana and Nigeria to collaborate to earn enormous benefits from that endeavour.
Challenges
Noting challenges of Ghana’s draw numbers being in contention in Nigeria, Mr Awuku assured the team of working to resolve it swiftly. He also urged Nigeria to learn from NLA’s practice of giving part of its proceeds from revenue generated to charity, sports development, health and education.
He dispelled the claims that spiritualists can give out lotto numbers for people to win. He said people who engage in such ventures are fake because “we don’t conjure numbers; it is purely a game of chance.”
The NLA D-G also pointed out that, in the coming days, NLA will be going stronger on anybody operating without a licence.
“That also applies to those using our numbers outside Ghana. All private lotto operators must also ensure that they obtain a licence to do so,” he warned.
Working relationship
The leadership of the Nigeria Licensed Lottery Operators said their visit to the NLA was to rekindle working relationship and build a stronger bond that will be beneficial to both countries.
According to him, building a good working relationship with the Nigerian lottery sector is necessary because Nigeria uses Ghana’s draw numbers due to its integrity.
The Chairman of Nigeria Licensed Lotto Operators, Chima Onwuka, who led the delegation, said their presence in Ghana was to improve the already existing relationship between the two institutions. “Our visit here is for us to rekindle the relationship that has existed between lotto operators in Nigeria and the NLA in Ghana,” he said.
He also noted that the development of lottery hinges on integrity, saying Nigeria needs to learn more from the commitment Ghana has attached to integrity in building its lottery system.
Mr Onwuka said their engagement with NLA would also fashion out ways the Nigeria Licensed Lottery Operators can pay royalties to Ghana for the use of its draw numbers.
He hoped that their engagement with the NLA would boost their operations back in Nigeria.
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