Ivory Coast and Nigeria would soon pay royalties of GHS 18 million and GHS 13 million respectively, for drawing the National Lottery Authority (NLA) Games online through the KGL Group.
Also, as part of its partnership agreement, the Authority has renegotiated its contract with the KGL Group and was expected to raise GHS 65 million in 2023.
The Director General of NLA, Mr. Samuel Awuku disclosed this during a press briefing in Accra today noting that the Authority has begun engagements with Burkina Faso and Niger to trade games and collaborate with them.
Mr. Awuku also revealed that upon taking office, he met a debt of GHS 15 million in unpaid wins.
“As of now, we have cleared a greater part of the debt and we continue to make efforts together with Management to clear the outstanding debt,” he noted.
He stated that NLA has developed the Instant Pay *389*1000# for players to instantly redeem wins up to GHS 1,2000 after the Draw.
“In partnership with our Corporate Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs), we have also instituted Prize Payment Centers in our Regional offices nationwide for wins up to Twelve Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHS 12,000.00),” he added.
Regarding licensing Private Lotto Operators (PLOs), he stated that doing so annually would sanitize the lottery space and generate revenue for National Development.
“Operators who want to operate under the framework of the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722) pay a sum of One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHS 1,500,000.00), while those who operate under the Veterans Administration Ghana Act, 2012 (Act 844) pay a sum of Five Hundred Thousand Cedis since we have their franchise to operate their games.
“PLOs are also required to pay a fixed figure to support the Good Causes Foundation,” he emphasized.
The Director General also stated that the Authority has signed on new Third-Party Collaborators to bring in more revenue and some innovative and exciting games.
“Zeta Technologies, Blue Star Hi-Tech Company Limited, and Fortune Synergy are among them. We are also in talks with Supreme Ventures, the biggest lottery operators in the Caribbeans, together with their local partner who will introduce exciting new games that are not 5/90 in nature or form,” he stressed.
He announced that the Authority expects to phase out its over 25-year-old draw machines by the end of April using new draw machines purchased in accordance with World Lottery Authority Standards.
“We are also expected to launch our multiple draws by the first week of May,” he noted.
On Community Draws, he posited, “Holding Community Draws demystifies the myth surrounding the drawing process and games create moments of excitement and bring the draw closer to the people to enable them to observe the process.” As a result, draws would be held in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Mr. Awuku further described the Authority’s Good Causes Foundation as the charity arm spearheading its Corporate Social Responsibility.
“Section 2(3) of the National Lotto Act – stipulates that conduct, as part of the operation of National Lotto, a lottery to provide care and protection for the physically or mentally afflicted, the needy, the aged, orphans, and destitute children. The foundation aims to develop, implement and maintain a structure based on four main pillars approved by the NLA Governing Board. These Pillars include Health, Education, Youth and Sports Development, Arts and Culture,” he stated.
The Director General explained that the Foundation got its seed money of $60,000 from LONACI, Ivory Coast to set it up and highlighted some of the projects undertaken under the various pillars.
“These include Medical Outreach in communities such as, Korle-Wokon, Somanya and Sunyani, Donation of Medical Equipment (incubators) to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital in collaboration with the Kokrokoo Foundation and Hope Exchange Hospital in Kumasi, building of a Smart Lab for the Borstal Correctional Institute in Accra, Providing brilliant but needy students with scholarships.
“Support of Government’s YouStart Program with GHS 10 million in 2022 with a promise of an additional GHS 10 this year, partnering with the Citi FM Heritage Caravan to celebrate our cultural heritage and when it becomes necessary, even though it may not fall within our pillars, we try to support other areas such as support to the people of Appiatse with GHS 100,000.00 during the explosion,” he stated.
Patience Anaadem, ISD