The National Lottery Authority (NLA), has indicated that due to the shift system it is implementing to make its working environment safe from COVID-19, and the increasing spate of lotto fraudsters, it is taking reasonably longer to pay winning tickets or prizes and thus appealing to the staking public for patience.
According to the NLA, in a statement released by its Public Relations Unit, extensive reviews are being implemented due to rising frauds and also by the adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic on its operations which had forced employees of the authority to currently work on a shift system.
The statement narrated that in as much as the Authority is willing to satisfy the staking public, lotto discounters and lotto marketing companies (LMCs), it is equally important for the NLA to also take pragmatic steps to protect the lives of their employees in this difficult period of the COVID-19.
“The NLA will like to inform the public that due to the shifts system currently administered by the Authority, validation and payment of winning tickets would reasonably delay and we are respectfully appealing to the staking public, lotto discounters and LMCs to exercise patience since we are not in normal times,” the statement said.
The Authority also hinted that it has become very imperative for them to properly investigate winning tickets/prize before payment due to the rising activities of lotto fraudsters in the lottery industry. “This decision by the NLA to do due diligence, thorough investigation and validation of winning tickets would definitely affect the timelines for payment,” it emphasized.
Based on the stated reasons, the NLA is humbly urging the staking public, lotto discounters and LMCs to promptly register their winning tickets at the nearby regional and district offices of the NLA or the Authority’s Head Office for investigation and validation before payment.
It would be recalled that the NLA recently unveiled some digital platforms through which the staking public can use amid the COVID-19 partial lockdown in parts of the country. The Authority shortly after that cautioned the public against activities of lotto fraudsters who are also capitalising on the various digital platforms to dupe the public.
It is therefore appropriate for the Authority to keep improving on its measures aimed at eradicating fraudulent operations and bringing sanity to the lottery industry.
