Banker-To-Banker Banned

Cabinet has approved the outlaw of Banker-to-Banker operations in the country.

Mr George Addo-Yobo, Deputy Director (Operations) of the Department of National Lotteries (DNL), who disclosed this said what was left was for the government to place a bill to that effect before Parliament for approval.

Mr Addo-Yobo said this at a ceremony to officially decentralise the operations of the Kumasi office of the DNL on Tuesday.

He said in spite of the moves to outlaw Banker-to-Banker operations, DNL had worked very hard to meet the growing competition.

He said the DNL had been a major player in improving the economy, and gave the assurance that it would continue to play that role effectively.

Mr Addo-Yobo indicated that lottery was not a crime and said as a result of the negative connotations attached to lotteries, some workers of the DNL felt shy to identify themselves as staff.

The Deputy Director stated that because monies from the DNL went directly to the consolidated fund, many people do not see the contribution of the DNL in the socio-economic growth of the country.

He expressed satisfaction with the performance of the various products introduced by the company.

According to him, the mid-week lotto which the company introduced last year was doing very well. In the Ashanti Region alone about ? 800 million is made in sales every week from mid-week lotto.

He said Ashanti was the second highest sales point of the DNL in the country and expressed the hope that with the improvement in performance the region could overtake Greater Accra as number one.

Mr Addo-Yobo noted that the decentralisation process would reduce the delays in getting books to the Ashanti Region as well as payments for winnings.

He disclosed that the company had begun a pilot project of setting up ?pick up points? where receivers could submit their books for bullion vans of the department to convey them to checking points.