Concerned Lotto Agents Association have threated to stage a massive demonstration to register their displeasure towards the National Lotto Authority.

According to them, the NLA has taken some stringent measures against them and it is greatly impeding their work.

In a press statement, the association called on government to bring the authority to book.

“We are calling on the government to stop NLA from going into any agreement with Veteran Association of Ghana but properly regulate the NLA and amend NLA act 722 to allow private participation in the lotto industry” the statement read.

The group opined that, their association employs over one million people and therefore needs to be handled with careful hands.

“There are over one million people engaged in Private Lotto nationwide and the unemployment situation in Ghana is not hidden from anyone” it read

Read full statement below

PRESS RELEASE BY CONCERNED LOTTO AGENTS ASSOCIATION (CLAAG)

We the Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG) are planning to shake the country with a massive demonstrations in all the ten regions.

It’s with deep regret that we have arrived at this decision, because we think that is the only way to get the government to put a searchlight on the National Lotto Authority (NLA) and regulate her positively.

There are over one million people engaged in Private Lotto nationwide and the unemployment situation in Ghana is not hidden from anyone whilst the various governments have championed the provision of jobs for the teaming population they have not matched their word with actions.

In order to provide some jobs for the majority of our people, the government of professor John Atta Mills came up with Veteran Association of Ghana Act 844, and the Veteran Association of Ghana under the act allowed Private Lotto Operation some space and that singular action helped to mitigate the unemployment situation.

Sadly, under the current administration despite the pre-election promises to regulate the NLA and allow the private sector some space, now the NLA is using some bizarre tactics to ensure that private participation in lotto is completely extinct.

First they registered the Private Lotto Operators and charge them huge sums of monies but nothing happened. We vehemently opposed the registration but succumbed because we were at a receiving end.

Again, the NLA had teamed up with Veteran Association of Ghana convincing them to cede to them the private operators working with Veteran Association of Ghana in an attempt to stifle them.

We are therefore calling on the government to stop NLA from going into any agreement with Veteran Association of Ghana but properly regulate the NLA and amend NLA act 722 to allow private participation in the lotto industry.

We have sent a petition to government but government had not responded.

The private Lotto Operators and their followers have a large constituency countrywide and any attempt to take us for granted may spell disaster for the government.

The NLA if not checked would bring down the government with their determination to eradicate any form of private participation in lotto in an era of serious unemployment crisis in the country.

The government must wake up. Public private participation is not foreign to government policy in any era in Ghana’s history and must not be now. Private operators, agents and writers can contribute between two hundred million to four hundred million Ghana cedis per annum to support the national economy.

A lot of the Private Lotto Agents and writers voted for change because they treasured the [promises of job creation and especially the private participation in lotto will help a lot many unskilled Ghanaians some decent income which is for equitable distribution of national cake.

We are therefore calling all Lotto Operation, Agents and Writers to remain calm as we prepare ourselves for massive demonstration if we do not hear anything from the government.

Signed Kwaku Duah Tawiah (Executive Secretary) 0506442262