The Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana has said they are unhappy about directives by the National Lottery Authority (NLA) in recent times following the enforcement of 20% commission.
According to them, such demands will lead to serious job losses in the industry.
A statement, signed by Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA) and Private Lotto Operators (PLO) has entreated its writers to accept the 20% commission, noting to its members that refusal to comply with the directive will lead to the forfeiture of license and banning of the operator.
“In line with the directive from the NLA, the executives and members of the Ghana Lotto Operators Association and Private Lotto Operators wish to bring to the attention of its writers that payment on lotto commission is twenty percent (20%) effective 14th October 2022,” part of the statement read.
But Executive Secretary of the lotto agents association, Kwaku Duah Tawiah, who together with some members petitioned the NLA on Tuesday over the matter, told Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen Tuesday that the whole agreement form was not sent to the group as the NLA just gave them the page that needed to be signed.
“We, the private lotto operators, proposed to NLA that it taxes the writers by charging one hundred and twenty cedis (GHC 120) for each lottery kiosk, with an embossed sticker for each writer who pays. In the private lottery industry, there are over two million writers. Do you have any idea how much money NLA will make with our writers?”
“Numerous petitions and letters urging NLA to implement this recommendation have been sent over the past five years, but to no avail. Though we gave NLA the GPS coordinates for the lottery kiosk to help them with the procedure, nothing came out of it,” he lamented.
He continued that: “Don’t forget the thousands of related parties that will lose their jobs, including drivers, checkpoint employees, printing industry employees, carpenters, etc. It is interesting to learn that NLA will ignore prospective job losses and their effects on the economy in order to further the vested interests of a chosen few.”
But reacting to the group’s petition on the same show, PRO for NLA, Goodfellow Dei Ofei, noted the 20 percent commission is the best they gave the group and nothing can be done to change it as reviewing it will be difficult for the association.
He said they only want the GRA to rake in what is deemed them and therefore urged the group to accept and move forward.