The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has announced the purchase of four new ultra modern lotto draw machines to replace the current ones which at best can be described as pieces of artifacts befitting of museums.
“The new draw achiness are to help enhance what we do and apart from the fact that people are superstitious, they seem to be addicted to the old draw achiness. We can no longer use those machines because they are now obsolete, the parts are not available anymore and they are not even being manufactured anymore”, Sammi Awuku, the Director–General of the NLA announced to media captains at a seminar over the weekend.
Mr. Awuku said in all the Authority has secured four machines so far and expects to add three more to completely whip out the old ones. The new draw machines would enhance the efficiency and integrity of draws and they were build to meet the World Lottery Authority (WLA) required standards and specifications.
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Sammi Awuku continued: “Some of our old Lotto Marketing Companies are so addicted to the old draw machines and once we start using the new machines then they would start to complain once again that I do not want them to win.
“But I want to amplify our voices that the world has moved on and we cannot continue to rely on machines that are 26, 27 years old where the predictability is high. If it is game of chance it must be a game of chance and not a game of spiritual powers where people believe that if this machine is not there I cannot win.
“The new draw machines would be used for the Monday Special, Midweek, Friday Bonaza and the National Weekly Lotto. So we are going to use them side-by-side the old machines until we completely phase out the old ones by early next year”, Mr. Awuku added.
The Director-General spoke about the need for the NLA to upscale the level of already high integrity it has achieved for itself across the globe as this would lead to an increase in revenue.
He said some African countries were illegally relying on the draws of the NLA because of its intergrity.
Nigeria, he cited, was hitherto making a cool estimated $10 million on a daily bases from the draws on the NLA but talks between the Authority and the stakeholders in that country have achieved some successes and now Ghana benefits some of the proceeds.
He said with the right measures put in place, Ghana can benefit more from other African countries.
The NLA Director-General complained about the activities on illegal lotto operators and how their activities take money directly away from the Authority yet when the culprits are arrested, the laws are very linnet on them.
He said unlike other countries, operating illegal lottery has been greatly discouraged because of the severe penalties that the laws have attached to it.
