Tema, Aug. 20, – The Tema district lotto writers association today began a strike action to back their demands for the restoration of their 30 per cent commission from Banker-to-Banker lottery operators. At an emergency meeting held in Tema today, the Lotto Writers condemned the August 12 decision of the lottery operators to reduce their commission from 30 to 20 per cent, describing their “employers as cheats”. At the meeting presided over by Nana Fredua, chairman of the Association, the writers agreed to close all private lotto kiosks in the municipality with immediate effect. They will go on a peaceful demonstration on August 23 to press further their demands if they do not hear ”something good” from their employers. The meeting said agents of the “Banker-to-Banker” operators have been paying less than the stipulated amount for winnings, a situation which has always brought about confrontations between writers and winners. They explained that winners were entitled to 200 times the face value of coupons for two numbers and 1,600 times the face value for three numbers but the agents pay what they refer to as a “flat rate”. Nana Fredua called on the internal revenue service (IRS) to introduce receipt books for the 15 per cent tax deduction. He said because the tax deductions are not covered by any receipt, stakers have been questioning whether the monies are actually going to the government. He called on the government to consider reducing the tax since its introduction has reduced patronage. Following the government’s decision to charge 15 per cent tax on lotto stakings, lottery operators issued a communique reducing the lotto writers commission from 30 to 20 per cent.
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