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The Board Chairman of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Gary Nimako Marfo, has underscored pragmatic measures laid down by management of the authority to find a lasting solution to illegal operations within the lottery industry.
According to the Board Chair, the continuing efforts taken by the NLA to sanitise the lottery businesses in the country has yielded significant successes so far.
Gary Nimako’s observation comes on the back of a development where the NLA Board granted licenses to 15 Private Lotto Operators (PLOs) in Ghana.
This was done at a ceremony held at the NLA Headquarters in Accra on Friday, August 30, 2024, where all legal documentation was signed to permit these operators to operate within the NLA framework.
The licensing ensures the PLOs comply with the licensing regime under the National Lotto Act 2006 (Act 722), Lottery Regulations 2008 (L.I. 1948), and the Veterans Administration Ghana (VAG) 2012 (Act 844).
In his closing remarks, an elated Gary Nimako, himself a legal practitioner, touted the achievements of the NLA in regulating and sanitising the lottery business.
According to the Board Chairman of the NLA, the years when illegal operations were a dominant threat in the industry is close to becoming a thing of the past.
“I think that the era of illegal operations within the lotto industry in Ghana has today been brought to a close and believes it shall be so forever in the country,” he said.
He holds the view that it would propel their businesses of the industry players to flourish and enable them to profit from whatever is deemed them.
“So I think that where we are now with the issuance of these licenses to your companies, you can go home and do your businesses in peace while whatever is due government, the government too can get it,” he said.
He encouraged the PLOs to use its various company booklets independently to carry out their businesses to support the NLA’s quest to enforce the laws.
Lawyer Nimako, stressing protecting the integrity of the lotto industry, cautioned against operating without a license because the authority will not temper justice to offenders if found guilty.
He further charged the Director General of the NLA, Sammi Awuku immediately to begin enforcement of the laws to clampdown unlicensed lotto companies operating illegally.
Sammi Awuku, in response to the call made by the NLA Board Chair, assured him of committing to the marching orders of enforcing the laws within the framework of regulation.
“We [the NLA] have a commitment and our commitment is to protect the businesses you are doing.”
He vowed not to “sit down for people who haven’t been issued licenses to operate.”
Mr. Awuku applauded the NLA Board members together with all other stakeholders whose commitment, dedication, and hard work played instrumental roles in reaching this milestone.
