Monday, 17 May 2021: The National Lottery Regulatory Commission, (NLRC), is set to deploy new strategy of a central monitoring system that would ensure that all earnings due to government on lottery are collected with precision.

Director General of the commission, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, who disclosed this on Monday in a statement tagged ‘Update on NLRC’ in Abuja, said that “with the new system, all the loopholes and drains in the lottery business would be blocked so that all taxes and revenues payable to government are fully collected and remitted to government coffers.”

He said with the arrangements being put in place by the commission, lottery would soon be contributing significantly to the federal treasury as it is being done in advanced countries like America, UK,  and Spain.

“I am upbeat that in a matter of some few years, lottery shall become a major source of revenue for Nigeria,” he stated.

Gbajabiamila maintained that the commission under his leadership is totally committed to the goals of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on the diversification of Nigeria’s economy saying, “we have remained tirelessly ingenious in engendering means of improving on revenue earnings for Nigeria and bettering lottery business in all ramifications.”

On staff welfare, NLRC boss said both the management and staff members of the commission are being prepped with trainings and enhanced welfare package for the workers.

He assured that in addition to the recently approved Peculiar Allowance for members of staff of the commission, the enhanced salary structure approved since 2015 would become implementable after the realization of the new monitoring system as the commission would then have sufficient funds to meet its obligations.

He explained that the commission placed priority on improving the capacity and welfare of staff of the commission, stressing that the commission accords all its activities and projections as well as the implementation of a more robust condition of service for staff its priority.

According to him, “We are always most concerned on improving the capacity and welfare of our staff in all our considerations and projections. We put the issues of welfare first. We are totally committed to implementing a more robust welfare scheme for them.

“Training and further training of staff are also sacrosanct. For the agency to grow and meet the world standards, which is our ultimate target, our workers must grow simultaneously.”

NLRC Director General further disclosed that work is at advanced stage on the establishment of an indigenous National Game with all the benefits of higher revenues for the government, greater dividends for stakers and profound growth in the industry, generally.

He acknowledged the dynamic and supportive role of the Commission’s supervising minister, the Minister of Special Duties, Senator (Dr) George Akume and the Commission’s Governing Board under the chairmanship of Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle for ever ready to collaborate with his management for the smooth running and progress of the Commission.