Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA) has called on the government to legalise operations of private lotto operators, popularly known as ‘Banker-to-Banker,’ to allow Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the lottery industry.
GLOA also called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, amend Section 2(4) of the National Lotto Act 2006, Act 722, to reflect the transparent re-engagement of the private sector participation in the lottery industry in the country.
The group, who made the call at a press conference in Accra yesterday, maintained that the arguments for the non-regularisation of private lotto operators were weak and defeatist in outlook.
These arguments, according to the General Secretary of GLOA, Seth A. Amoani, were, borne out of a desire by the National Lottery Authority (NLA) to ‘criminalise’ the operations of private sector activities in, and discredit them from any national discourse on lotto.
He explained that the inimical effects of Act 722 (2006) gave impetus to the surge in galamsey operations across the country due to the massive unemployment it created at the districts.
In the view of Mr. Amoani, opening up the lottery industry will create opportunities in the districts to absorb the large numbers returning from galamsey operations.
He lamented that the deliberate ploy hatched to entrench state monopoly in the lottery sector was most unfortunate, stressing that the status of the NLA as a regulator and operator at the same time was not only “untenable but questionable.”
“Is it not surprising that the same private lotto operators who were rejected by the creation of state monopoly in the lottery industry in 2006 have been granted licenses to operate VAG Lotto under Act 844, due to their immense commercial experience and innovation in lotto operations. If the private sector is credited for introducing innovation that has led to increased lotto revenue to the Consolidated Fund, and compelled the restructuring of the then Department of National Lottery to NLA, why should the state or anybody maintain the monopoly being enjoyed by NLA?” he asked.
To this end, Mr. Amoani called for the establishment of an independent regulator to ensure that both government and private lotto operators comply with the rules and regulations of lotto, and also put in place structures for better revenue generation for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
In this regard, he disclosed that his outfit has presented a 15-point proposal for the government and management of NLA to consider.
Key among the proposal, he said, was the need for NLA, Ministry of Finance, GLOA and other stakeholders to meet and discuss the way forward, to make private sector participation in lotto a reality under a PPP arrangement with commitments for all parties.
Another point suggested by GLOA in its proposal was the constitution of a legal review committee to explore modalities for the amendment of the National Lotto Act, Act 722 (2006) with particular reference to Section 2(4).
“We want to assure government, management of NLA that executives and members of the GLOA are ready to re-organise and re-structure the operations of our activities to ensure compliance with requirements to be agreed under the PPP agreement,” Mr. Amoani stressed.
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