The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has ordered Mr. Kofi Osei Ameyaw, Director-General of the National Lottery Authority, to proceed on immediate retirement.
Another letter from the Office of the President dated Wednesday, March 10, 2021, indicated that the Deputy DG, Yaw Amoakohene Baafi’s appointment had also been terminated.
Both letters were signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo.
“Upon reaching the compulsory retirement age of sixty years on 20th February 2020, the President of the Republic, by a letter under my hand dated September 3, 2020, granted you a one-year contract of service as Director-General of the National Lottery Authority. The one-year contract lapsed on 20th February 2021, and therefore you are retired on that date”, the termination of appointment letter to the DG read.
He was further asked to hand over authority to Mr. Ernest Mortey, the Finance Director of the Authority.
“Accordingly you are directed to hand over to Mr. Ernest Mortey, the Finance Director of the Authority who shall act as the Director-General of the Authority pending the appointment of a substantive Director-General. You are further directed to proceed to collect any terminal benefits or facilities due you under the relevant law.”
The Deputy DG, Mr. Yaw Amoakohene Baafi’s termination letter also read: “Due to the re-organisation of the Authority, I am to inform you that the President has terminated your appointment with immediate effect. You are directed to proceed to collect your terminal benefits in lieu of notice”.
It will be recalled that on March 1, 2021, the NLA staff union threatened to withdraw its services in protest against attacks on employees of the Authority borne out of the failure of the Authority to pay claims due winners of lottery draws nationwide.
The workers also claimed that the poor management of the Authority resulted in the inability to pay salaries for the month of February 2021.
This development comes on the back of agitations by the workers who wanted to see the backs of their bosses out of the Authority for mismanagement.
The National Labour Commission (NLC) subsequently stepped in directing the workers to abort their threats.
An investigative piece produced by Joy News last year alleged that the cost of some 30,000 Point of Sale (POS) devices procured by the NLA was inflated by almost $10 million because the DG had inflated the price of the POS devices.
The documentary had further suggested that the supply of the devices should have cost less than half of the total contract sum of $25 million.
But in a rebuttal statement, the NLA rubbished the claims saying, “The National Lottery Authority(NLA) is very disappointed at the unprofessional and unethical conduct of Joy News/Joy FM and Multimedia Group Limited over unfair, untrue and biased reports on the Procurement of NEXGO Android Point of Sale Terminals by the Authority. First and foremost, the whole content of the documentary is baseless and without any iota of truth,” the statement concluded.
