Supreme Court judgment has rendered us idle – Lottery Commission workers

Members of staff of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) say they have been rendered idle following the Supreme Court judgment which nullified the commission’s establishment Act.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, some of the workers narrated their frustration on how they go to work daily, only to be redundant and sleeping.

They expressed concerns over their current state of inactivity and urged the federal government to promptly intervene by facilitating their redeployment to other agencies.

NAN recalls that in a landmark judgment delivered on 22 November 2024, the Supreme Court nullified the National Lottery Act 2005 which established the NLRC and granted the commission the authority to regulate national lotteries in Nigeria.

The judgment followed the suit filed in 2008 by Lagos and other states of the federation, challenging the National Assembly’s powers to regulate lottery activities.

A seven-member panel of the court, in a unanimous judgment, held that the National Lottery Act 2005 should no longer be enforced in all states except the Federal Capital Territory, in respect of which the National Assembly is empowered to make laws.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, the court held that the National Assembly lacked the powers to legislate on issues relating to lottery and games of chance.

The panel agreed that such powers only reside with the state Houses of Assembly, which possess exclusive jurisdiction over lottery and games of chance and other related issues.

In separate interviews with NAN, some members of the commission’s staff said that following the Supreme Court’s decisions, they could no longer function and were yet to know their fate.

One of the workers who did not want their name mentioned said, although they go to work daily and are still being paid their monthly salaries, they are concerned about their future.

“The court decisions actually took us by surprise and we quite understand that by the provisions of the constitution, the judgment of the Supreme Court is final.

“The situation, though, has not affected our monthly pay, but our fate remained uncertain and it has made us to remain unproductive.

“I am appealing to our mother ministry and the federal government to promptly intervene,” the worker said.

Similarly, another worker who also pleaded anonymity, said they were in a state of confusion as they did not know the next step to take.

“Of the truth, anything that has to do with Supreme Court is irreversible. The whole issue is now in the hands of government to decide the fate of the workers of the commission.”

A management staff member of the commission said their Director-General, Lanre Gbajabiamila, had written a letter to President Bola Tinubu and other relevant authorities, requesting their intervention in the redeployment of workers to other government agencies.

“The situation is that we are waiting for redeployment to other agencies.

“The erstwhile DG has written to the President and copied the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, regarding the redeployment.

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“We are now waiting for the presidential directives,” the management staff member who equally pleaded anonymity said.

Meanwhile, when NAN contacted the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation on the matter, the reporter was directed to the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, the parent ministry of the commission.

While at the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, the Desk Officer in charge of parastatal agencies confirmed that the ministry was aware of the Supreme Court judgment and its implications.

The officer, however, said the appropriate person to address such matters is the minister, Zephaniah Jisalo, and advised the NAN management to officially request his response.

(NAN)