NLA deserves serious reforms – Razak Kojo Opoku

We would not allow public officials to run state organizations as if it is their personal property; certainly not under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo told us to be Citizens not Spectators. Ghana first and first always. We serve Ghana not personality.

Why should a private lotto company be allowed to do 5/90 live draws on TV at the detriment of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), an action which has the propensity to collapse the NLA. Should we allow NLA to collapse under the NPP government? No!

Why should a private lotto company be allowed to do short code operating 5/90 Game under Act 844 without Board Approval, and without paying anything to the authority?

Why should NLA as chief regulator and operator be struggling financially, and Banker to Banker Lotto operators would be flourishing at the detriment of the government? This is highly unacceptable.

Why should a private lotto operator pay 30-40% commission to its writers/agents and NLA would be struggling to pay only 20% commission to its Accredited Lotto Marketing Companies? This is sad.

Why should Technical Service Providers be allowed to charge 4-6% fees on the gross sales of NLA and not on the net. This arrangement needs review.

Why should major contracts be signed by the former Director-General without appropriate Board Approval? This clearly shouldn’t be the case.

Why should a former Director-General be allowed to do foreign transactions with Lotto Companies in Nigeria which rely on NLA draw numbers without Board Approval, and without the knowledge of the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the President?

Why should a Technical Service Provider for VAG Lotto allegedly connected to former Director-General operate 5/90 Game on their platform without approval and authorization from the Board?

These are some of the many issues we are doing our best to address them but unfortunately we are being rather under attacked by people who should have even consider reaching out to NLA for its side of the matter.

My 100% loyalty is to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and any of his appointees who are championing the course to make the President’s work successful.

All of us have the patriotic duty to support President Akufo-Addo to succeed.

 

NOTE: The author, Razak Kojo Opoku is the Founder and President of the Concern Voters Movement (CVM), a socio-political pressure group against corruption and human right abuses.