PEOPLE BUYING LOTTO TICKETS; WORK AT DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL LOTTERIES; DRAW BEING MADE.




Initials JSU/VS/MR/BB



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Background: GHANA'S DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL LOTTERIES, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COUNTRY'S WEEKLY NATIONAL LOTTO DRAW, PLANS TO ENGAGE MORE LOTTO RECEIVERS. AT PRESENT THERE ARE ABOUT 1,400 RECEIVERS COLLECTING OVER 80,000 NEW CEDIS EACH WEEK.

THE COUNTERFOILS OF ALL THE TICKETS SOLD BY THE RECEIVERS, WHO ARE TRAINED FOR SIX WEEKS BY THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE BEING APPOINTED, ARE HANDED OVER TO THE DEPARTMENT'S LEDGER CLERKS.

CARBON COPIES OF THE TICKETS GO TO THE AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPRESENTATIVE WHO AUDITS ALL THE PAYMENT VOUCHERS FOR PRIZES.

BEFORE THE DRAWS ARE HELD, THE COUNTERFOILS OF STAKED TICKETS ARE SEALED IN BAGS AND KEPT IN A SECURITY ROOM TO ENSURE THAT NO MEMBER OF THE STAFF PUTS IN A COUBTERFOIL AFTER THE RESULT OF THE DRAW.

THE DRAWS FOR THE LOTTO TAKE PLACE IN PUBLIC ON SATURDAY EVENINGS. TO GUARD AGAINST FRAUD, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO PRESS A BUTTON FOR THE WINNING NUMBERS. THIS IS DONE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL LOTTERIES, MR. W.F. BRENNAN, AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MR. HUTCHISON.

WINNERS PRESENT THEIR TICKETS ON MONDAYS TO THE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY ARE GIVEN RECEIPTS ON WHICH THE DATE FOR PAYMENT OF THEIR PRIZES IS INDICATED.

THE DEPARTMENT PAYS ABOUT THIRTY THOUSAND NEW CEDIS (ONE NEW CEDIS IS WORTH 10s STERLING.) TO WINNERS EACH WEEK AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTING ABOUT TWO MILLION NEW CEDIS TO THE NATIONAL EXCHEQUER EACH YEAR.