The National Lottery Authority has said the establishment of some specialized courts in the country to handle lottery related cases will not be an avenue to persecute illegal lotto operators.<\/p>\n
According to the authority it will rather use the opportunity to sanitize the lottery terrain.<\/p>\n
Former Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Woode, inaugurated about 11 lotto courts across Ghana in June to aid the prosecution of all lotto-related offences.<\/p>\n
The courts include Circuit Courts one and eight in Accra, Circuit Courts B in Tema and Koforidua, Circuit Court 4 in Kumasi, Circuit Court one in Cape Coast, and Circuit Courts in Tarkoradi, Ho, Tamale and Wa.<\/p>\n
Addressing the media at the authority\u2019s headquarters, the Director General of NLA, Kofi Osei Ameyaw said though there are laws available for prosecution, his outfit will adopt dialogue and negotiations to harmonize all other lotto companies in their operations.<\/p>\n
He said that \u201cit (the court) is not to witch-hunt anybody, this happened previous. In the previous administration there was an executive instrument for prosecution. That is not to say that because we have the laws, the courts and the prosecution, everyone should be prosecuted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Osei Ameyaw also seized the opportunity to call on all lotto operators in the country to legally register with National Lottery Authority to enable the m contribute their quota towards natonal development.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am calling on everyone engaged in the lottery business to come forward and obtain their license so that they can pay their due share of taxes and revenue for government so that we use the money to develop the country.<\/p>\n
Those that are lawfully working and paying their taxes feel that they are being cheated by those who are not paying their taxes and are doing the business clandestinely, this restricts the revenue base of the country\u201d he added<\/p>\n
The authority however indicated that it will ensure that the law is strictly enforced after six months.<\/p>\n
The Director General said \u201c When the chief justice announce the eleven lotto courts throughout the country, I made a plea and a\u00a0 pledge that there will be an amnesty period of about six month moratorium, all those engaged in the illegal lotto activities should come forward so that we can deal cordially.<\/p>\n
“The law courts may be there but we don\u2019t have to utilize it, prosecution maybe there but we don\u2019t have to utilize it. Please let\u2019s work together so that we can all feed our families, we are not trying in any way to deprive anybody of their daily bread or livelihood.\u201d<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Anass S. Seidu\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The National Lottery Authority has said the establishment of some specialized courts in the country to handle lottery related cases will not be an avenue to persecute illegal lotto operators. According to the authority it will rather use the opportunity to sanitize the lottery terrain. Former Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Woode, inaugurated about 11 lotto […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[8228,1019,1020],"yoast_head":"\n