The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has issued a formal plea to its local union and staff to immediately cease their strike and return to the negotiation table to resolve an ongoing dispute over salary adjustments, following a protracted period of impasse.
The appeal follows a strike and demonstration initiated by staff over management’s decision to implement a proposed salary increase for 2026. The NLA stated that management remained committed to a resolution and was actively engaging the National Labour Commission (NLC) through an arbitration process.
According to the NLA, the local union initially requested a 17% salary increase for all staff for 2026, but management offered a 12% increase. Management cited a tax liability involving unpaid taxes on staff salaries covering a six-year period from 2016 to 2022 as the driving force behind this decision. The NLA subsequently confirmed that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) identified an incorrect application of income tax on staff salaries, resulting in over GH¢5 million in tax arrears.
Following consultations with the GRA, the NLA Board and management agreed to absorb the tax arrears at no cost to staff. However, the Authority noted that this absorption affected employees’ net salaries, triggering a deadlock in negotiations.
The union subsequently demanded a 17% salary increase to cushion staff against the impact of this adjustment. Initially, the NLA approved only a 10% increase due to the financial burden of absorbing the tax arrears and other budgetary constraints.
Management subsequently pushed for an additional 2%, bringing the final offer to 12%. The union rejected the offer, declaring a deadlock in negotiations and referring the matter to the NLC. The NLA emphasized that it had previously written to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on February 11, 2026, seeking guidance on salary negotiations.
The FWSC, in a response dated June 11, 2026, advised the NLA to increase salaries by 8%, based on the NLA’s financial strength. The local union subsequently served management with a notice on Friday, August 21, 2026, announcing its intention to embark on a sit-down strike and demonstration on Monday, August 24, signaling a commitment to resuming negotiations.
The NLA is urging the union and staff to suspend the industrial action and return to negotiations while the matter is actively being addressed through the appropriate processes. Management also assured lotto marketing companies, private lotto operators, third-party collaborators, and other stakeholders that it remained committed to fulfilling the Authority’s mandate of raising revenue for national development. The situation continues to attract unwanted attention, with concerns raised about potentially dangerous chemicals being used on food items, and the potential impact on women’s health.
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Source: Adom Online
