General News of Thursday, 16 October 1997

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Department Of National Lotteries Warns Illegal Lotto Operators

The Director of the Department of National Lotteries, Col. Martin Gbikpi, has called on the government to take a serious look at the loop holes in the law governing the activities of District Weekly Lotto Operators. This is because the illegal activities of private lotto operators are posing serious financial problems to the Department especially, in terms of the revenue it generates to the consolidated fund. Colonel Gbikpi was speaking to newsmen on the activities of District Lotto operators, who unlawfully use the numbers drawn by the Department for their operations. He hinted that the Department has formally reported the matter to the police. As a result of the report made, the Police carried out a swoop in some parts of Accra at the weekend and arrested a number of illegal lotto operators. Mr.. Gbikpi advised District Weekly Lotto Operators to acquire their own machines to avoid any embarrassment. Meanwhile, the National Lotto Receivers Union of the Department has threatened a strike action if District Weekly Lotto Operators do not stop using the numbers drawn by the Department to pay their customers.

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