body-container-line-1

NLA extends deadline for ending manual lotto coupons

By GNA
Business & Finance NLA extends deadline for ending manual lotto coupons
NOV 30, 2011 LISTEN

Accra, Nov. 30, GNA - The National Lottery Authority (NLA) on Wednesday announced the extension of the deadline for ending the use and sale of manual coupons to the public from December 15, 2011 to January 31, 2012.

This is to allow time for all lotto receivers to sell off all their stock to ensure the smooth migration on to its automation platform.

Meanwhile, the NLA said since January this year, it has trained 4,021 personnel towards its quest to automate and eliminate manual coupons and tickets in its operations in line with the second phase of its automation project.

Mr Kojo Andah, Director General of NLA, in an interview with the GNA in Accra, noted that there were some holidays during the yuletide, therefore, the NLA needed to provide its receivers more time to sell off the manual coupons and tickets, saying that the decision was taken in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

He expressed optimism that the NLA would train more people to use the 10,000 machines acquired for its customers.

A visit to some of offices of NLA by the GNA indicated that lotto receivers, especially, those without point of sale terminals, were being trained and given terminals to immediately start work.

Some participants at the training school expressed their relief, saying clients for some time now had refused to purchase manual coupons and tickets because they preferred tickets generated from the automated machines.

The NLA started its programme to automate its operations in 2006 and has since seen significant growth and efficiency in the lottery business thus contributing more to national growth and development.

Currently, over 87 per cent of the lottery business is generated on the automation platform and the NLA is obliged to terminate the manual operations because of the cost of producing the tickets and coupons in the form of importing specialised security paper, ink, constant repair works on the printing machines and other fraudulent activities associated with the manual operations.

The NLA on November 11, 2011, announced to cease the operations of manual lottery (the sale of lotto coupons/tickets to the public) but accept lotto tickets generated from its automated machines.

GNA

body-container-line