THE Northern Regional Association of Lotto Marketing Companies (LMC) has suggested to the government to formalise operations of illegal lotto operators in the country popularly called “Banker to Banker” and impose taxes on them as a means of generating revenue for the country.
According to the association, Banker to Banker operators must be made to register with the National Lottery Authority (NLA) since they make use of results declared by the NLA in their operations. It said leaving illegal lotto operators in their current state implies loss of huge sums of money that should otherwise have gone to the state.
The Northern Regional Vice Chairman of the LMC, Nana Kofi Asabere, made the suggestion at the association’s end of year party which took place in Tamale last Sunday.
Tax
Nana Asabere noted that the operation of Banker to Banker had come to stay and hence the reason why government must find a way of making them accountable to the state.
He said the continuing operations of illegal lottery were adversely affecting smooth performance of the NLA, with particular regard to the sale of tickets. He said the operation of Banker to Banker had become lucrative because while the NLA paid 17.5 per cent as commission to its agents, the Banker to Banker operators paid 35 per cent to their members.
In addition, he said, it took agents of the NLA more than four days to receive their commission from the bank unlike the Banker to Banker operators who paid their agents their commission instantly after the draw period.
He said the lottery business had become a source of employment for many people and as such it was time the operations of Banker to Banker were formalised in order to stamp out illegal acts from the industry.
Appeal
The Northern Regional Vice Chairman of the LMC appealed to the NLA and the government to increase the commission it paid to its agents from the current 17.5 per cent to 40 per cent to serve as a disincentive to people who might want to covertly operate lotto in the country.
He also called for the abolition of the five per cent tax imposed on winning tickets, which he said, “discourages people from patronising the NLA”.
Unity
The Zonal Sales Executive of the NLA in Tamale, Mr Albert Jojo Dzackah, who represented the Tamale Zonal Manager of the NLA, called on members of the LMC to close their ranks and forge ahead in unity and work hard to enable the NLA to achieve its target set for this year.
The Northern Regional Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Caesar Abagale, was the special Guest of Honour for the occasion. He reiterated the call on members of the LMC to unite and champion their cause which includes assisting to stamp out operations of illegal lottery in the country.
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