NLA staff are prohibited from playing lotto - Sammi Awuku reveals

Former National Lottery Authority (NLA) Director-General and Akuapem North MP, Sammi Awuku, has said staff are not allowed to play lotto.

“As NLA staff, we are not allowed to engage in the lottery. It’s a policy meant to preserve the integrity of the institution and prevent conflicts of interest. This rule is one of the ways we ensure accountability in the organization,” Awuku said in an interview with Adom FM monitored by MyNewsGh.

He openly endorsed the Mahama-led government’s decision to abolish the controversial betting tax, expressing his long-standing opposition to the tax, despite it being a policy introduced by his party, the NPP.

“I am thrilled that the betting tax will be abolished. I have consistently opposed it, even during the NPP administration, as it has proven ineffective in many regions,” Awuku candidly shared.

Awuku, who spearheaded operations at the National Lottery Authority (NLA), explained how the tax negatively impacted the lottery sector.

In a previous interview on the same subject, he explained that including lottery activities in the betting tax framework backfired, encouraging illegal gambling and reducing revenue streams for the government-owned NLA.

“Lottery was included in the betting tax. The National Lottery Authority should contribute to the national revenue. However, imposing a tax on oneself is counterproductive, as it strengthens underground operators. When engaging with the government, a 10% tax is levied, while illegal operators provide full payouts,” he elaborated.

Awuku emphasized that such taxes have only fueled underground betting, with operators bypassing regulations to avoid government levies.

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