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An eight-member delegation from Tanzania, led by Mr Amon A. Mpanju, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, is in the country to understudy the transformational agenda of the National Lotteries Authority.

The visit forms part of the efforts by the Tanzanian Government to restructure and transform its Lottery industry and operations.

The delegation, welcomed by the Authority’s Management, were taken through series of presentations and discussions on NLA history, change management processes, business models and initiatives by the Business Development Committee.

Mr Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, the NLA Director-General, explained the transformational agenda of the Authority, which include the E-kiosk Concept, being one of the top-notch business models, which has no financial burden on the Authority and the Government.

He said it was a Public-Private-Partnership initiative for which the Private Sector was responsible for the financial arrangements. This had gone through all the necessary legal procedure and arrangements awaiting the implementation across Ghana.

Mr Osei-Ameyaw said the E-Kiosk would offer a wide range of services including banking, mobile money, courier services, remittance, payments of utility bills and DSTV.

He said the NLA would partner state institutions in its implementation such as the Nation Builders Corps, Youth Employment Agency, Ghana Post, Ghana Revenue Authority, One-District-One-Factory Secretariat, Members of Parliament and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

“The successful implementation of the E-Kiosk Project will triple the revenue generation of the NLA,” he said.

Mr Osei-Ameyaw said one of the nightmares of the Authority was illegal lottery, adding: “The NLA, supported by Association of Lotto Marketing Companies, had on numerous occasions caused the arrest and prosecution of illegal lotto operators, agents and writers”.

He, however, said resource constraints and sometimes political pressure and interferences, hindered the NLA’s fight against illegal lotto operators, agents, and writers.

He said most of them were operating with licenses provided by VAG Ghana under Act 844, which empowered the veterans to engage in raffles or lottery to economically and financially empower them.
Mr Osei-Ameyaw said the NLA, under the Government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has adopted a more innovative and pragmatic approach to addressing illegal lottery operations in the country through registration, validation and granting of license to illegal operators, agents and writers who met the requirements put in place by the Authority.

He said the NLA, since its establishment, has been running on self-financing business model without government funds by generating its own revenue for the administration, operations and overall management.

“The NLA is also mandated by the Law under Act 722 to pay funds to Government through the Consolidated Fund for national development,” he said.

Mr Osei-Ameyaw assured the Tanzanian Government of the NLA’s preparedness and cooperation to collaborate and assist them to restructure and transform lottery business and operations in Tanzania.

Mr Mpanju, on his part, recommended the NLA to assist the Tanzanian Government to restructure and transform lottery business and operations in Tanzania.

He said the Tanzanian Government was ready to understudy and implement the business models and initiatives introduced by the NLA.

Other members of the delegation are Sande H. Mnozya, the Principal Human Resource Officer, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Elias D. Mwandobo, the Counsellor, Tanzania High Commission, Abuja, Nigeria, Hangi M. Changa, State Attorney, Office of the Solicitor General of the United Republic of Tanzania, and Luizer E. Mndeme, Principal Economist, Ministry of Finance and Planning.

The rest are Goodluck G. Moshi, Information and Communication Technology Officer, E-Government Agency, Nuhu R. Msangi, Principal Tax Officer, Tanzania Revenue Authority and Francisco M. Bajumuzi, Personal Assistant to the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs.