Lotto operators across Ghana have raised serious concerns over the National Lottery Authority’s (NLA) new sticker system, introduced in 2025 to curb illegal lottery operations.
The controversy centers on the NLA’s decision to allow Mr. Kwaku Duah-Tawiah, Executive Secretary of the Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG), to collect Lotto Sticker Fees from operators nationwide. Investigations show that CLAAG is a private company by guarantee, consisting only of Mr. Duah-Tawiah and one other individual, with about 99% of lotto writers not registered members.
Industry sources and lotto operators argue that the decision is illegal, violating provisions under Act 722, the Ghana Revenue Authority Act 2009, and the Local Governance Act 936. They insist that fee collection should be handled directly by the NLA or in partnership with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), who are legally mandated to collect local taxes and fees.
“The issue is not with the NLA Sticker System itself,” said one lotto writer. “We are willing to pay the fees, but only at NLA regional or district offices, or through GRA/MMDAs—not through CLAAG or Mr. Duah-Tawiah.”
Lotto operators are now calling on the Ministry of Finance, GRA, EOCO, BNI, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), and the Ministry of Local Government to intervene, halt CLAAG’s involvement, and conduct a full audit of the fees collected so far.
The matter has sparked nationwide debate on governance, accountability, and the legality of private organizations collecting fees on behalf of a government agency.
