Lotto receivers have declared a nationwide strike effective Wednesday July 6. They are protesting the refusal of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), to reduce their commission at 20 percent from an initial of 25 percent.
According the receivers, efforts to get the NLA to consider their concerns have proved futile hence their decision to embark on an indefinite strike.
Few months ago, a High Court in Accra dismissed an interlocutory injunction filed by the Lotto receivers restraining the National Lotto Authority (NLA) from unilaterally reducing or reviewing its commission fee from 25 per cent to 20 per cent.
The Court noted that the NLA had the legal right to reduce the commission because under the Authority�s Act (Act 722 Section 28) it was empowered by its Governing Board to determine commissions that should be paid to Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs).
According to the Court, the NLA had procured Portable Automatic Data ticketing machines which could be used by the Association of LMCs and the National Lottery Receivers Union for other purposes such as money transfer, payment of utility bills which were all to their advantage.
Mr Justice F. G. Kobieh, a Court of Appeal judge sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, who presided over the case, did not award any cost to the plaintiffs, namely the National Lottery Receivers Union and the Association of LMCs.
But the General Secretary of the National Association of Lotto receivers, Kofi Frimpong, had told Citi News the Court�s ruling does not address the substance of their concerns.
�In fact, some of our members went on their own to seek an injunction to restraint management from carrying out their threat. However the Court refused to grant the injunction. The Court decision was inconclusive because the matter itself has not been dealt with and Management is dwelling on that inconclusive court decision to effect the deduction which is capricious, inhuman and against our human rights. It is so arbitrary because they didn�t consult us and we have nit sat down to negotiate� he noted.
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