Speaking on behalf of the group in a statement, Mr Ato Counduah, their lawyer has called on His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo to request an investigation into the whereabouts of over 30 million Ghana Cedis collected from private sector operators, agents and writers by the NLA for the advertised Private Public Patnership (PPP) in Lotto.

He said that the NLA unlawfully collected GH¢1 million from 24 operators; GH¢5,000 each from lotto agents and GH¢1,800 from lotto writers, in addition to GH¢5 million worth of bank/insurance guarantees from operators who intended to operate nationwide.

The National Lotto Act 2006 provided for the establishment of the NLA to regulate, supervise, conduct and manage national lotto and related matters.

However, the Veterans Administration Ghana (VAG) Act, (Act 844, 2012) also mandates the Veterans Administration to hold lottery and gaming activities while issuing licenses to lotto operators.

He said the collection of these monies were only  a hoax meant to defraud them of their capital, seize their legally-acquired drawing machines for VAG Lotto in order to make them bankrupt since no receipts were given after the monies were collected a year ago.

The VAG had to surrender its operations to the NLA in June 2018 by  halting   issuance of licences to lotto operators in a move that now enables the NLA assume overall control over lotto licencing and regulations in the Ghana.

Some of the members had taken loans in order to meet the NLAs demands resulting in debts and according to Mr Conduah has contributed to deteriorating health conditions of some members.

Again, the group according to the statement is requesting the return of all machines, and refund of the millions of Cedis collected from the private sector operators, agents and writers nationwide until such a time that comprehensive modalities for the commencement of the PPP lotto can be submitted for implementation.

The group said  that several meetings  with the NLA had been fruitless as the NLA is alleged to have  "surreptitiously issued draft sales and marketing contracts to one or two operators to the exclusion of majority of the operators".

They questioned the Director General, Mr Kofi Osei-Ameyaw's decision to advertise Banker to Banker operations PPP, collect funds for the partnership under the pretext of licensing them as retailers of lotto when he had ealier advertised to licence them as Banker to Banker "operators" . They also questioned the kiosks bought by the NLA from Chinese producers at 5000 USD when the private operators buy kiosk for their agents at GHC2000.

"Who has ever paid millions of Ghana Cedis and a GHC 5 million Bank or Insurance Guarantee to become a retailer of lotto in the history of Ghana"? Mr Conduah said.

The Association is  also requesting that a forensic investigation be conducted into the financial affairs of the Director General, the Director of Sales and Marketing,Mr George Addo-Yobo  and the NLA itself to understand why the NLA is refusing to comply with government's admonition to treat the matter with utmost urgency that is required.

They noted that one of the ways government can raise more lottery revenue is to encourage private sector participation for more taxes and creation of employment as is evident in the history of lotto business in Ghana.