Lotto operators charge on "Lotteries"

Accra, May 29, GNA - The Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA) on Thursday registered its displeasure over a directive by the National Lottery Authority (NLA) to publishers to desist from publishing numbers drawn by all private lotto operators.

The association noted that the directive infringed on the constitutional rights of private lotto operators as guaranteed by the constitution.

Mr Seth Asante Amoani, Secretary, GLOA at a press Conference in Accra further described the directive by the NLA as illegal and contemptuous of court.

The GLOA last year sued the NLA, seeking a declaration that purported creation of the National Lottery Authority to take over and monopolise the operation of lotto business in the country infringed the constitutional rights of private lotto operators.

The High Court in its ruling noted that there were serious constitutional issues which should be adjudicated on by the Supreme Court.

"The subterfuge being adopted by the NLA to achieve its unconstitutional ambition to collapse private lotto business when the Supreme Court is yet to determine the case is most unfortunate and unacceptable under the present constitutional dispensation." The association said it was aware that good governance practice also enjoined the NLA to wait till the adjudication of the matter before carrying out threats.

"We the private lotto operators believe in the rule of law and have decided to use the judicial process to ventilate our objection to the provision of Act 722"

The association said its members would continue to respect the laws of the land but pointed that; "we no go sit down make somebody run down their jobs merely out of suspicion, jealousy and egotism." The NLA on May 7, this year directive issued in the media stated that it was illegal under the Lotto Act 722 to publish number drawn by private lotto operators.

Some publishers therefore ceased to publish numbers drawn by private lotto operators. This, association noted was meant to throw them out of business. 29 May 08