The Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG) has voiced its outrage after allegations that the Ghanaian National Lottery Authority recently destroyed a number of lottery kiosks.
As reported by Ghana Web, ‘yet-to-be-identified’ NLA officials set about on a demolition job, with one using a weapon to dismantle windows and doors.
There were also claims made of harassment, while some lottery agents and writers were allegedly arrested.
CLAAG’s Executive Secretary, Kweku Duah Tawiah, said at a press conference: “The action is insensitive and obnoxious, especially giving the fact that unemployment is near all-time high, prices of goods and services have gone above the roof, inflation is out of control, sales have gone down considerable, and writers and their families are suffering untold hardships.”
Tawiah also sought to dispel an apparent myth by the NLA that arrests were made due to lottery agents not possessing valid registrations.
“The actions of the NLA is lending credence to rumours making the rounds within the lotto fraternity that the NLA has engaged a company to take over operations of lottery in the country, hence it is doing the bidding of the said company by eliminating us from the industry,” he added.
“The leadership of CLAAG wants to assure lotto writers and agents that CLAAG will explore every legitimate means at its disposal to have this matter resolved, hence members should continue to remain calm and be law abiding.”
Recently, tension has been mounting in Ghana’s lottery sector over plans to cut the commission of lottery operators.
Since 1962, when the lottery was first introduced in Ghana, commission has been set at 30% for lottery operators.
But, under new proposals, that figure would be slashed to 20%, a proposal that has drawn criticism from the CLAAG.
