Mr. Kofi Osei Ameyaw, the Director-General of the National Lottery Authority, has been ordered to retire by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Citi News obtained a copy of a letter from the White House Office of the President dated March 10, 2021.
The President also terminated the appointment of Mr. Osei Ameyaw’s deputy, Yaw Amoakohene Baafi.
“Upon reaching the compulsory retirement age of sixty years on February 20, 2020, the President of the Republic granted you a one-year contract of service as Director-General of the National Lottery Authority by a letter under my hand dated September 3, 2020,” reads the letter to Mr. Ameyaw. The one-year contract expired on February 20, 2021, and as a result, you are no longer employed as of that date.”
Mr. Ernest Mortey, the Authority’s Finance Director, was also ordered to hand over by the President.
“Accordingly, you are guided to hand over to Mr. Ernest Mortey, the Authority’s Finance Director, who will serve as the Authority’s Director-General before a substantive Director-General is appointed. You are also directed to collect any terminal benefits or services that you are entitled to under applicable law.”
“Due to the re-organisation of the Authority, I am to inform you that the President has terminated your appointment with immediate effect,” the letter to Mr. Yaw Amoakohene Baafi said. In lieu of warning, you are led to receive your terminal benefits.”
Nana Bediatuo Asante, Secretary to the President, signed both letters.
Background
Workers at the National Lottery Authority have been agitating for this to happen.
The NLA staff union threatened to withdraw its services on March 1 in response to attacks on Authority employees resulting from the Authority’s failure to pay claims due to lottery winners across the country.
The staff also say that the Authority’s bad management caused them to be unable to pay wages for the month of February 2021.
Following that, the National Labour Commission (NLC) intervened, ordering the workers to cease their attacks.
In addition, a Joy News investigation in 2020 stated that the cost of 30,000 Point of Sale (POS) devices procured by the lottery authority had been inflated by around $10 million.
According to the documentary, its Director-General, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, inflated the price of POS devices.
It was proposed that the cost of supplying these instruments should have been less than half of the $25 million contract total.
The arguments have been debunked by the National Lottery Authority (NLA).
“The National Lottery Authority (NLA) is frustrated by Joy News/Joy FM and Multimedia Group Limited’s unprofessional and unethical behavior in reporting on the Authority’s procurement of NEXGO Android Point of Sale Terminals. First and foremost, the documentary’s entire content is based on nothing and contains no truth,” the Authority said in a statement.
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SOURCE: ATLFMNEWSONLINE
