President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged the Board of Directors and management of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) to ensure responsible gaming in the country, and endeavour to be transparent with all Ghanaians who patronise their games and services.
Speaking at the grand durbar of the NLA’s 60th-anniversary celebration, the president maintained that the NLA’s responsibility is not to only generate revenue for the state – as it has done very well over the years, but to also ensure integrity in its draws so that people who participate get a fair share as deserved.
He emphasised that this is the only way the public will continue to repose confidence in the NLA as it has done over the years.
“As an institution tasked with revenue generation, I l implore you to ensure you exercise the highest form of transparency and integrity in the conduct of your draws to uphold the confidence the public continues to have in you.
“The onus to achieve this not only lies in your ability to generate revenue for government and give back to society, but more importantly ensuring that the Ghanaians who play your lottery games receive a true reflection of the daily results published,” Akufo-Addo said.
Good Causes Foundation
Furthermore, the president also commended NLA for complementing gov’t development projects through its Good Causes Foundation (GCF), the gaming authority’s charity arm.
According to the president, the NLA’s GCF is intended to spearhead the authority’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) as well as sustain its quest to create a shared value that bonds all stakeholders, which has played a tremendous role in government’s development initiatives.
“Giving back to society through your Good Causes Foundation complements the efforts of government in the development of our country, and it is worthy of emulation by others,” the president said.
The Authority has through the initiative supported communities, individuals, health and educational institutions as well as youth and sports organisations among others. The beneficiaries received medical aid and equipment like incubators, toilet facilities; mechanised boreholes across the country; refurbished schools, smart labs, recreational centres; and several donations of cash, food items and other supplies.
Elaborating further on the NLA’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), President Akufo-Addo urged the NLA to follow strictly the World Lottery Association’s (WLA) high standards on CSR and Good Causes.
Director-General of NLA, Samuel Awuku, said the Authority is more resolute than ever to take up the challenges which lie ahead.
“We are excited about this new phase and by what the future holds as we forge ahead in our journey. We believe there will be bigger hurdles to cross; and while we acknowledge the work that lies ahead, we remain resolute with a renewed commitment to do much better for our cherished patrons,” Sammy Awuku stated.
Illegal lottery
President of the World Lottery Association (WLA), Rebecca Paul – who travelled to Ghana in support of the NLA’s 60th-anniversary celebration, remarked that WLA is ready to support all the efforts Ghana is currently making to stop illegal gaming activities in the country.
According to Madam Paul, the WLA has two dominant objectives – giving back to good courses in the countries where they have representation by way of membership; and fighting all forms of illegal gaming and lottery activities.
“Part of what the World Lottery Association does is help set up standards which our members must meet; and certainly one of the most important is the corporate social responsibility (CSR) standard, which you (Ghana) are applying for and working toward,” she said.
