The National Lotteries Authority (NLA) is allegedly attempting to bring down the Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG) through sabotage and violence.
The lottery agents claim that some security personnel are rummaging through lotto kiosks with weapons drawn, smashing them, harassing, and detaining some lotto agents and authors.
The CLAAG questions why agents and authors, who are downstream employees, would be subjected to such poorly planned and harsh measures without being given any justification.
It should be remembered that CLAAG had actually written to the NLA seeking audience to discuss issues affecting our operations, impartially, according to a statement signed by Kwaku Duah Tawiah, the executive secretary of CLAAG.
He remarked, “By this action we are sure that the NLA had a premeditated plot to frustrate us and prefers to tread the road of collision rather than to jaw-jaw,” adding, “Our said letter has not even been acknowledged for the audience to be provided us.”
The statement claimed that the harassment, which was allegedly orchestrated by the NLA, was directly supported by the administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“This action by the NPP administration through the board and management of NLA is quite callous and obnoxious, especially coming at a time when unemployment is close to an all-time high and the costs of goods have gone through the roof,” it stated.
The announcement further stated that despite the current economic challenges, lottery agents and writers had approached NLA via CLAAG with a proposition to contribute money to government income.
The general economic downturn is causing immense hardships and strangling for writers and their families.
“One might have anticipated that the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor would act swiftly to relieve the terrible economic strangulation being inflicted on lotto writers and agents by the NLA board and management by the directive to already reduce our incomes via commission slashing, but alas, that is not to be.
“One questions whether this is the same administration that made promises to support employment growth and stability as well as to offer social safety nets for the weak and disadvantaged. The Osei Ameyaw administration treated the lottery industry similarly, and the Sammy Awuku administration is now following suit with its callous disregard for the misery of the people. It is obvious that the NPP is no friend of the lottery industry.
“We may therefore reasonably draw the conclusion that the NLA’s action results from this government’s great distance from the governed.
“CLAAG would thus want to use this platform to reassure this callous administration that the lottery industry won’t remain silent while government officials, such as board members, management, and security apparatchiks of the NLA, continue to harass innocent bystanders.
“There is a video circulating that purports to show agents of the national security system breaking into locked lottery machines. It is regrettable that the NLA will operate in such a reprehensible manner when President Akufo Addo, a defender of human rights in this democratic era, is in office.
“The NLA’s actions are giving weight to rumors going around in the lotto community that the NLA has hired EDITEACH Firm to run the lottery in Ghana, fulfilling the wishes of the said company by removing us from the market.
“We commend the members of our team who were attacked for using the utmost caution to avoid a fight and potential gunfire/death of innocent Ghanaians.
The fiery statement continued, “The leadership of CLAAG wants to reassure lotto writers and agents across the length and breadth of the country that CLAAG will explore every legal avenue available to it to have this matter resolved. Accordingly, members should continue to remain calm and follow the law as leadership activates the various processes.
The document ended, “This action by the NLA is unnecessary, and [we] urge on government to call the NLA to order.”
Source: newsthemegh.com