BUCHANAN, Grand – The National Lottery Authority has concluded a five-year strategic plan consultative meeting aimed at modernizing its operations.

The meeting took place in Buchanan, Grand Bassa from June 14 to June 15 and was attended by the agency’s staff and its board members. It aimed to produce a plan that would be implemented from 2020 to 2024.

The National Lottery Authority is the regulatory body of all games of chance, including raffle draws, casinos, and sports betting. The agency was established to help generate revenues for the government and to apply a portion of the funds in supporting charitable services and activities.

The NLA’s board chair, Titus Charley, said the strategic plan is a long-term roadmap for achieving the organization’s goals and objectives. He noted that research shows that efficient and effective strategic planning can increase profitability and also create values for the primary beneficiaries of the organization.

Rogers Abim, the agency’s chief of staff, said the plan will provide direction to the institution to allow it to move toward effective and efficient gaming management in Liberia, in addition to avoiding unnecessary, unwanted, and inappropriate activities.

“Towards these ends, detailed studies on Liberia’s gaming industry have been monitored over the years that show noncompliance towards achieving efficiency and effectiveness in the industry,” he noted. “Within this context, we are about to develop another five-year strategic plan that will guide and direct the NLA in achieving the broad goals by reforming and strengthening the sector.”

He also told staff that the agency would work to improve the living conditions of its employees as it worked to amend gaming regulations.

Abim highlighted the importance of modernizing the industry by ensuring that the agency had state-of-the-art equipment to monitor all gaming activities as well as the introduction of online gaming.

“Upgrading our financial and human resource system is vital and developing and building the capacities of our staff by providing local and international training are momentous,” he added.

Featured photo by Sampson David