A cross section of stakeholders at the forum
THE NATIONAL Lottery Authority (NLA) has announced plans to roll-out a number of new value-added services to its operations.
Director General of NLA, Kofi Osei Ameyaw made this known yesterday in Accra at a stakeholder forum, saying the move was aimed at modernizing lottery in Ghana and cushioning NLA’s agents across the country.
The meeting sought to foster collaboration between NLA and its key stakeholders namely lotto writers, lotto operators, among others, with the aim of helping to address the challenges adversely affecting the operations of lotto in the country.
Some operators have complained about issues affecting their welfare particularly with regards to the ‘low’ commission given them by Government or NLA as compared with their counterparts operating under banker-to-banker who accordingly are paid about 35 percent non-tax commission.
“If they don’t increase the commission, all operators might move to banker-to-banker,” one operator, Nana Osei Kobo, told DAILY GUIDE on the sidelines of the forum.
But Mr. Ameyaw who seems poised to forge a strong collaboration between the Authority and its stakeholders gave the assurance that government shall look into their complaints and address them appropriately.
“We are a listening authority. We are willing to listen to you as to how best we can work together to move this industry forward,” the Director General said, reiterating that the NLA was not in to witch-hunt anyone but to ensure that the right thing was done.
Mobile Money
According to him, the NLA was in the process of introducing about 30,000 new innovative kiosks nationwide for its agents which can be used for mobile money transfers, utility payments, among others.
He said the new kiosks were expected to be rolled out by November or December this year and that when that happens, it shall help the Authority to increase the commission it pays to lotto operators or agents from the current 20 percent to about 25 percent or more.
“The programmes are intended to increase your commissions,” he told the operators who responded with a massive applause.
That, he said, shall also help government to create additional employment avenues for the masses, noting that through the new initiative, the Authority will consider introducing what he termed community lottery policing system in which the youth are expected to be engaged.
‘Taxes To Be Scrapped’
As a means of helping to improve the living conditions of the over two hundred thousand operators and writers working for the NLA, the Director General stated that the Authority has began talks with the Ministry of Finance to remove the taxes charged on the commission being paid to the operators.
He also disclosed that the Authority was making frantic efforts to ensure that those operating the Banker-to-Banker lotto services were regularized and licensed by the state to ensure a level-playing field for all stakeholders in the industry.
According to him, the country could earn about GH¢ 250 million annually by bringing on board the banker-to-banker operators.
BY Melvin Tarlue