03 Jun NLRC HOLDS TWO DAY SPECIALIZED TRAINING ON LOTTERY

By: Ngozi Aneke & Victoria Nwabundo

The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office Engr. Festus Dauda has reiterated that the Buhari led administration is giving top priority to training, restructuring and uplifting of all MDA’s staff to meet with global standards devoid of corruption.

Engr. Daudu made this remarks at the NLRC specialized Lottery training held at Merit House, Maitama Abuja. He commended the Director General Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila and his management team for ensuring the capacity building exercise  was given priority irrespective of the numerous challenges being faced by the Commission presently; including funding.

The PS stated that the training was first of its kind in the history of the NLRC and worthy of applauding. He reaffirmed that in the quest to boost income generation as expected by the government, the two day specialized training would go a long way in helping to achieve the desired objectives, as knowledge acquired would boost productivity.

Engr. Daudu commended both the trainers and trainees and emphasized the need to cross fertilize ideas and return to work better equipped after the capacity building exercise.

During his remarks at the opening ceremony, the DG, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamia stated that the training would bring all employees to highest work standards, and make them stay abreast of the modus operandi in Lottery operations. He added that it would help to improve performance, boost morale and increase revenue generation.

Mr. Gbajabiamila said the training was for all staff irrespective of their departments and assured that staff not included in this particular training programme would  benefit in subsequent ones.

Similarly, Director, Human Resources Management, Mr. Robert Bolokor stressed the need for training and re-training of staff and thanked the DG for making the training all inclusive. He said that the essence of the two-day training was to enhance the capacity of staff of the Commission by equipping them with relevant lottery specific knowledge and skills needed to effectively navigate and carryout regulatory functions that meet global standards and practice.

Bolokor reckoned that, it is only through training that staff of the Commission could measure up to speed with the specialty of the industry. He urged staff present at the programme to grasp as much knowledge as possible which will enable them understand and appreciate the dynamics of the lottery industry so as to carry out their regulatory functions better. Christina Thakor-Rankin, Alan Pedley and Femi Shafa who were Facilitators at the two day training , did justice to various topics such as Lottery Regulation and Monitoring, Sports Betting Operations and Regulation, as well as Lottery Technology.

In her speech, Christina-Thakor Rankin, the training facilitator and lottery expert from the United Kingdom said that Nigeria could be a lottery blueprint not only in Africa but in the world over giving the size of the target market. She further applauded the core mandate of the Commission in regulating some aspects of the gaming industry in Nigeria.

Participants at the training programme comprised of over 300 staff from the 15 zonal offices of the commission across the country and the head office.

DG NLRC, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila speaking at the opening ceremony of the training programme

The Permanent Secretary SDO Engr. Festus Daudu reads his speech to declare the Training open.

Staff of Bayelsa Office, Mrs Kate Ibekwe asks a question at the Training

Top Management Staff of NLRC with the Permanent Secretary (3rd R) F.R