The Board and Management of the National Lotteries Authority (NLA) have said that there are no negative developments within its operations in the country and that anything to the contrary is the work of a few disgruntled individuals who are “being used by persons who see the current Board and Management as a formidable force preventing them from having their way”.

A statement jointly signed by the Board Chairman Ambassador Emmanuel Oscar Ameyedowo and the Managing Director Brigadier General Martin Ahiaglo (Rtd) says “the attention of the Board and Management of National Lottery Authority has been drawn to some speculations seeking to suggest that, all is not well in respect of the management of the affairs of the Authority”.

The statement was emphatic that, the speculations are untrue, and that, it is only an attempt by some detractors, who are determined to paint the Board and Management of the Authority black.

“We would want to place on record that today, NLA is one of the most vibrant state institutions that is contributing its quota to the development of the nation’s infrastructure and is committed to raising revenue for the state. For that matter, we would want to urge all who will hear such speculations to treat it with the contempt it deserves, because it contains no truths.

“The current Board and Management of NLA is focused on achieving its core mandate of raising revenue for national development and to continue delivering quality service to its valued patrons. NLA will never waver in the midst of such destructive speculations.

“We believe that, all well-meaning Ghanaians, and especially our valued patrons as well as our sector Ministry, are living witnesses to the achievements of NLA in recent times, and Management is poised to achieve even greater heights. We therefore urge the general public to ignore these unfounded speculations,” the statement noted.

The NLA says it is aware of the various steps being taken by “its detractors” to tarnish its reputation and that of its members for personal and parochial gains, and that, it has cause to believe that persons involved in the act are in close league with some staff of the Authority to look for supposed non-existent information that may tarnish the hard won reputation of the Board, Management and members of NLA.

“We would like to assure the general public and our valued patrons that there is no such impropriety, as Management operates an open door policy that does not entertain any inappropriate behavior.

“As an Authority, our paramount interest lies in maximizing revenue for government; that has always been our avowed aim and is the sole agenda at the heart of all our operations.

“We therefore call on all our stakeholders to remain committed to NLA and to help it focus on achieving its core mandate. We further urge all our stakeholders to ignore those unfounded and untrue speculations as a figment of the imagination of those spreading them,” the statement noted.