The National Lotto Receivers' Union has refuted claims by the National Lottery Authority (NLA), the industry's regulator that it loses an average GH¢100 million per year through the activities of illegal operators.
The lotto receivers alleged that the lost of revenue by NLA has nothing to do with operators in the business.
'We view the publication as a mere public relations gimmick superficially aimed at directing attention from the mess that has engulfed the NLA lately,' the Union said.
An Accra High court ruled that the NLA does not have the power to prosecute companies that engage in lottery and that it was only the Attorney General that could impeach such businesses as it constitutes a criminal offence.
The Authority last year obtained an injunction to restrain the mobile operator, Tigo from running its 'Tigo House' promotion because it was disguised as lottery but the court dismissed the case.
The court also directed the NLA to sign an undertaking to pay monies that Tigo might have lost as a result of suspension of the promotion.
But prior to a press conference to provide clarity on court's ruling on the case brought against Tigo, a telecommunications company, an official of the Authority told an Accra based newspaper that the illegal activities of some individuals and companies were limiting the annual revenue.
In a statement signed by Kofi Frimpong, General Secretary of the Lotto Receivers Union, they challenged the NLA to conduct 'an introspection of its operational anatomy.'
The statement cited the delay in the payment of winning tickets as one of the main causes of the reduction in NLA's revenue.
It said 'in our opinion, revenue decline in this otherwise profitable government institution is largely due to the belligerent attitude of NLA towards our members and other lotto receivers and sellers as it they were at war.'
They explained that it now takes 60 days for winners of the NLA lottery tickets to have their claims paid to them.
'The situation has reached an alarming proportion to the extent that on a number of occasions, winners have had to demonstrate their anger and frustrations at the office of the NLA for the harrowing experience they go through.
By Emelia Ennin Abbey
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