FG to Lottery Operators: Pay Outstanding Liabilities or Risk Licence Revocation

Segun James

Following the boom in the lottery and gaming industry, the federal government has warned operators in the industry to pay all their outstanding liabilities or risk revocation of their operating licenses.

Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Dr. George Akume who said this at the back to school jump start project initiated by the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, in collaboration with the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) with the theme: “No school Left Behind,” held at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, said the lottery and gaming industry has generated a lot of jobs for Nigerians and has increased the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

Akume who was represented by the Executive Secretary, National Lottery Trust Fund, Dr. Bello Maigari said the federal government would continue to work with the National Assembly to improve and regulate the industry.

The minister praised Gbajabiamila for initiating the project in line with the federal government’s commitment to boost the learning capacity of students through the use of technology.

“Today’s event underscores the commitment and determination and promise of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to improve the capacity of students to learn and excellnin their studies,” he added.

Maigari, whose speech was read by Mr. Sule Tegina, said the project would boost the capacity of schools in the area of digital teaching, learning and sanitation.

Also speaking, Gbajabiamila regretted the negative impact of the COVID-19 on the nation’s education sector, saying the consequence was devastating.

Gbajabiamila put the global statistics of the number of deaths from COVID-19 worldwide at 6,089,484 with school aged adult being a substantial number of the victims, adding that while the health implications of the pandemic are all too obvious, its consequences for education are subtle but nonetheless devastating.