DNL embarks on outreach programme in the North

Tamale, Dec 18, GNA- The Department of National Lotteries (DNL) has embarked on an education outreach programme in the three northern regions to educate lotto receivers, private lotto agents and writers on the new DNL Bill.

The bill seeks to abolish private lotto and "Banker-to-Banker'' to give the sole mandate to the DNL, to organise lotto business in the country. Mr Peter Eddison Saah, Marketing Executive of the DNL, said this when he addressed a cross-section of lotto receivers, private lotto agents and writers in the Tamale Metropolis and the Savelegu/Nanton District. Mr Saah said the bill would require private lotto owners to negotiate with the government to use their lotto names or their operations. He said the liberalization of the lotto business had not benefited the government since most of the private lotto operators had not been able to meet their tax obligations to the state and this had affected government's revenue for the past years.

Mr Saah, who was part of a three-member team on the outreach programme, said the DNL has liberalized the registration of agents and it would absorb and manage those private games and urged agents to register with DNL.

"The DNL is reforming its operations to cater for the interest of its clients. For instance, we are replacing coupons with perm books to give every staker a chance."

The DNL, he said, is going to establish closing centres in all the district capitals for receivers, agents and writers to submit sold booklets instead of travelling to the regional capitals to submit them. Mr Saah said the DNL is to institute a special pension scheme for all lotto receivers, writers and agents to take care of their old age.