NLA- must be considerate

The national Lottery Authority is among the best institutions that contributes a lot of money to the revenue of Ghana.

The aim of National Lottery Authority is to attract, engage and retain loyal and competent staff skilled in the industry to achieve estimated revenue for national development.

The NLA is also providing employments to many people in Ghana. The question is how do you treat your employees in order for you to achieve your aim?

I believe strongly that, the individual employees of NLA can be considered as government workers because the workers operates on business terms by earning money for the government for development. They don't enjoy any bonuses form the government.

Whereas the workers go through some processes before getting access to the license to operate as employees of NLA.

Looking at statistics, it has been observed that in 2003, NLA contributed GH₵1.5million to the consolidated fund of government of Ghana and also in 2009, they contributed GH₵12.7 million to this fund.

All these wonderful works of NLA is the hard work of those you see in the lotto kiosks on the streets but not the big men inside the offices furnished with air-conditions even though they might have contributed to the success of NLA in diverse ways.

The NLA has been authorized under Act 722 of 2006 to licence as many Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs) as possible to sell/retail its products across the country and it has been agreed that the retailers and sellers will be a paid commission rate on products they manage to retail determined by the Governing Board of the Authority.

However, the commission rate was 25% since the year 2000, but recently the commission rates have been reduced to 20% which must take effect from 28th April 2011. Even these retailers buy the booklet with their own money, and even pay the rent for the place they have to work at.

Considering VATS on this 20% commission, the commission will not be up to the 20% exactly either

The prices of items in the market in the year 2000 are not the same as the prices in 2011, moreover everybody that works expects to move on and rather yearn for the increase of income not reduction.

We hear these stories of inflation everyday and now the authorities expect these employees of the NLA to receive reduction in their income with joy. Is it that easy for somebody stop eating chicken and start with 'keta school boys' all of a sudden?

These workers have families to look after, and problems to solve as well. The authorities of NLA should be a little bit considerate in their decision making towards the commission of their employees. They should rather settled these issues with the union National Lotto Receivers Union peacefully and amicably because they also deserves the best.

Shallom Lumor
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