The history of the lotto in Ghana started way back in 1960 when the Lotto and Betting Act 94 was passed into law.

The main aim of passing this law was to generate revenue for the development of the country.

The National Lottery Authority (NLA) works 6 days of the week and each day has its name for this game in Ghana:

• Lotto on Mondays are called Monday Special
• Lotto on Tuesdays are called Lucky Tuesday
• Lotto on Wednesdays are called Mid-Week
• Thursdays are called Fortune Thursday
• Lotto on Fridays are called Friday Bonanza
• Lotto on Saturdays are called National lotto

The numbers you can stake on start from 1 to 90 and at the end of the day 5 numbers will be picked, if the numbers are announced and your number happens to be among the numbers mentioned, then the next day you will go and collect your money.

At first, before you can stake the lotto, you will have to walk to the nearest lotto agent to stake.

Because of this, some people couldn’t go to the lotto agent and stake based on their religion or role they play or maybe they might be having a busy day.

Now NLA has joined the modern world of digitization, now you can stake banker to banker using your mobile money account.

Maybe you might want to stake lotto but sometimes find it difficult to visit the nearest lotto agent to stake, maybe you are shy like me, then this time around you can also stake your favourite numbers at the comfort of your home without visiting any lotto agent.

Before we get started the shortcode to use in staking the national lottery using your phone is *959#. Also, you can stake only 5 numbers.

You are going to pay using your mobile money so I believe you already registered for a mobile money account.

What is the NLA Shortcode?

*959# — The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has unveiled *959# as the only operational and functional official short code of the NLA. All is *959# players of NLA products/services, the general public and the media that are to use that code to stake Lotto in Ghana.

Also, the only licensed online lotto marketing company responsible for the operation of the *959# shortcode on behalf of the NLA is KGL Technology Limited. This means that any other shortcode is illegal and should not be used to stake lotto with the NLA.

How To Stake Lotto With Your Phone Using Mobile Money

1. On your phone dial the NLA Shortcode *959#
2. You will then have to choose 1: the current game, if its Monday you will see Monday special if its Saturday you will see National.
3. Now select how you want to stake your numbers, they have Direct, 2-Sure, Direct-3, Direct-4, Direct-5, Perm-2 and Perm-3
4. Enter the numbers you want to stake and separate each number with a space.
5. Confirm by entering 1
6. Within seconds you will receive a notification to approve your transaction, some people will not receive a mobile money prompt.

How Do You Receive The Money when you win Lotto in Ghana

I know you are not the only one asking about this question, the first time I staked using my phone I asked the same question.

When you stake and you win, you will be paid directly into your mobile money account, the account that you used to pay for the staking, that’s the same number they will pay you your money when you win.

NLA Games and Their Meanings in Ghana

NLA’s 5/90 and VAG are NLA games that allow players to select at least one out of ninety balls numbered 1-90.

A draw is held at the beginning (VAG) and the end of each day (NLA 5 90) except on Sundays to randomly select 5 out of the 90 balls. If the numbers on the 5 selected balls match any of the numbers selected by the player at the time of play, he is a winner.

The daily draw games are VAG each morning, Monday Special, Lucky Tuesday, Midweek, Fortune Thursday, Friday Bonanza and National Weekly on Saturdays.

The variations of games to play each day are below

NLA Direct 1 Meaning

The first number drawn is called the 1st Winning Number. (E.g. If a Player selects number 45, he wins if 45 is the first number drawn)

NLA Direct 2 Meaning

Any two numbers out of the 5 winning numbers to be drawn. (e.g. If a player selects 37 and 17, he’s a winner if 37 and 17 are among the 5 numbers drawn)

NLA Direct 3 Meaning

Any three numbers out of the 5 winning numbers to be drawn. (e.g. If a player selects 21, 48 and 83, he’s a winner if 21, 48 and 83 are among the 5 numbers drawn)

NLA Direct 4 Meaning

Any 4 numbers out of the 5 winning numbers to be drawn. (e.g. If a player selects 21, 48, 83 and 45, he’s a winner if they are among the 5 numbers drawn.)

NLA Direct 5 Meaning

All 5 numbers chosen must be winning numbers. (e.g. If a player selects any 5 numbers from 1 to 90, and all 5 numbers are drawn, then he is a winner.

NLA Perm 2 Meaning

This is basically selecting more than 2 Numbers and combining them in sets of 2. If a player selects numbers 10-20-30, Perm2 will give combinations of (i) 10-20, (ii) 10-30 and (iii) 20-30. Here, the winning pattern is the same as direct-2.

NLA Perm 3 Meaning

This is basically selecting more than 3 Numbers and combining them in sets of 3. If a player selects numbers 10-20-30-40, Perm3 will give combinations of (i) 10-20-30, (ii) 10-20-40, (iii) 10-30-40 (iv) 20-30-40. Here, the winning pattern is the same as direct-3.

NLA Perm 4 Meaning

This is basically selecting more than 4 Numbers and combining them in sets of 4. If a player selects numbers 10-20-30-40-50, Perm4 will give combinations of (i) 10-20-30-40, (ii) 10-20-40-50, (iii) 10-30-40-50 (iv) 10-20-30-50 and (v) 20-30-40-50. Here, the winning pattern is the same as direct-4.

NLA Perm 5 Meaning

This is basically selecting more than 5 Numbers and combining them in sets of 5. If a player selects numbers 10-20-30-40-50-60, Perm5 will give combinations of (i) 10-20-30-40-50, (ii) 10-30-40-50-60, (iii) 10-20-40- 50-60 (iv) 10-20-30-40-60 (v) 10- 20-30-50-60 and (vi) 20-30-40-50-60. Here, the winning pattern is the same as direct-5.

NLA Banker 1 against all Meaning

This is selecting one number and pairing it with the rest of 89 numbers. (e.g. if a player selects 45 against all, it Means 45 his banker.) This banker must be one of the 5 winning numbers.

Players of the NLA 5 90 OFFICIAL USSD gamed must ensure that a particular game is selected and played before the draw of that particular game.

Conclusion

Now you can stake lotto at the comfort of your home without the need to visit any lotto agent, in this article we went through how the lottery system in Ghana started and how to stake lotto and pay with your mobile money using your phone.

You might be like me who finds it difficult to approach any lady I will meet, maybe you are not that shy type but you would want to meet new friends online or find a partner online.

Approaching anybody you will meet in person to vibe and exchange numbers is a good feeling especially when you succeed in getting the number.

But what if it is a difficult thing for you but at the same time you don’t want to stay single forever and needs a partner?.

If you are that type of person then online dating must be your hope in finding a partner for an LTR (long term relationship).

One will ask, what are the benefits of online dating?

Anytime you are looking for a partner online, you don’t just see the picture of that person but you also get to know the preference of that person.

Online dating does not just give you a chance to find a partner but also help you know about the person’s hobby, ambition and the type of partner the person wants before you message or crush on him or her.

Here Are The Dating Sites In Ghana with Phone Numbers

Vidamora.com

Vidamora is one online dating site that you will find many Ghanaian singles to chat with. The main aim of the site is to let single men and women find their soul mates and meet new friends, the site is free for anyone to join.

To join vidamora, all you need to do is to fill in your name, gender, specify your country and set your date of birth.

Then you will then be asked to fill in some details about your personality such as hair, height, physical appearance, occupation (optional).

You will then be asked to add a profile picture of yourself, the more you add more details about yourself, the more people get interested in you as they will see everything about you and if they are interested, they will message or reply to your messages.

Ghanalove.com

Ghanalove is a website dedicated to connecting Ghanian singles worldwide. The site has been in existence for more than 15 years and has been connecting over 4.5 million peoples.

To join ghanalove simply sign up by specifying your gender and the opposite gender that you are looking for, your country and city, date of birth, email address, password and click on continue to be a member of this dating website.

Mingle2.com

Mingle2 is a free dating site for Ghanaians, it is safe and secure meaning all the profiles there are real users and you can also block or report anyone who will be disturbing you.

The website was created 13 years ago and boast of over 600,000 new members per month meaning the site is a very active site and when you join, you are definitely going to get a new partner of a friend and the good thing about this website is that it is free to join, no credit card is required as compared to other popular dating sites we know. The website also has an app that you can install and use.

To join this popular website, simply visit mingle2.com and then sign up by filling in your details such as name, location, gender and what you are looking for on their website be it friendship, relationship and intimate encounter.

Topface.com

Topface is also one of the best free dating sites in Ghana, the website was created in 14, August 2005 with over 133,000,000 active users.

Joining topface is very fast and easy, all you have to do is sign up by visiting topface.com and filling in your name, date of birth, location and email, you will then be asked to add your profile picture for other people to know you more in terms of how you look like. After that then you can start chatting with your fellow singles.

Adore.one

Adore is a free online dating site for Ghanaians to meet new friends and partners, no credit card is required to join.

To join this popular dating site you just need to fill in your details such as name, age, email and a password. After signing up, you will get to search for the type of partner you want and on adore website, you can specify the age and distance of the partner you want to search.

Conclusion

If you are the kind of person who finds it difficult to talk to the opposite sex in person, then online dating is the best for you, with online dating, anybody gets to know everything about you through your profile before replying or messaging you so it makes things more flexible for you.

Cybercrime is said to be using computers to do illegal activities or unlawfully entering computer systems to cause harm and profit off it.

Cybercrime is an enemy of the law worldwide as in America. The FBI keeps updating its list of most-wanted cyber criminals. Ghana is known to have one of the highest cybercrime activities and ranked 2nd some years back.

The government was forced to implement policies to curb this menace, including a cybersecurity maturity study executed by the Ministry of Communications.

Leading Causes of Cybercrime in Ghana

Cybercriminals look for easy ways to make big money. They target rich people or wealthy organizations like banks, casinos, financial firms, and business owners where a considerable amount of cash flows daily and hack sensitive and vulnerable information.

Catching such criminals is difficult because they work behind their PCs, and you won’t see them in person.

They work with VPNs so people won’t track their locations, hence increasing the number of cyber-crimes across the country. Computers are vulnerable, so laws are required to protect and safeguard them against cybercriminals.

For this reason, many hackers’ works are made less stressful. Below are some of the reasons for the vulnerability of computers.

Negligence

Humans can’t help but be negligent sometimes; it’s part of our human conduct. However, this slight negligence on our side allows the hackers to hack into your system. 

Storing data in a comparatively small area

Because the computer has a unique feature of storing many data in a very small space, hackers find it very easy to access this data because they’ve all been compressed in a single space. 

The unavailability of evidence

Due to how these hackers do their work, the law finds it hard to gather evidence to arrest them. They use VPNs so their locations can’t be tracked and use other individuals’ identities, thereby covering their tracks very well. 

Types of Cybercrime in Ghana

There are different types of Cybercrime in the world. Below I’ll list and discuss the different types of Cybercrime in Ghana. 

Identity theft

Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person’s personal identifying information, like their name, identifying number, or credit card number, without their permission to commit fraud or other crimes.

A criminal accesses data about a person’s bank account, credit cards and other personal credentials. It has become a major problem with people using the internet for cash transactions and banking services. 

Online illegal selling

Illegal products in the country cannot be traded in the outer environment like other products, so these traders do it on the black market. These products include weapons, drugs and human organs in extreme cases. 

Fraud calls

Fraud calls are the most common ones in Ghana. I’m sure you must have heard situations like this. Individuals call you claiming they’ve mistakenly sent money to your mobile money account, and whilst talking to you, they process the details of your account and steal money from your mobile money account. This type of criminal activity is called “phishing”. 

What the authorities are doing about Cybercrime in Ghana

The government has come together and implemented policies to curb the criminal activities of hackers in the country; 

Policies have been implemented

Section 66D of the IT Act prescribes punishment for ‘cheating by personation by using computer resource’ and provides that any person who by means of any communication device or computer resource cheats by personation, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 3 (three).

A national security centre was launched to monitor activities of Cybercrime. 

The internet has become a critical infrastructure and facilitator of engagements for individual users, businesses, and governments across the globe.

In Ghana, the increasing reliance on the internet and Information Communication Technology has led to increased cybersecurity incidents such as ransomware, cyber theft, banking fraud, cyber espionage and other cyber-attacks targeted at critical information infrastructure.

These cybersecurity incidents have affected critical sectors of the country, including energy, telecommunications, banking and finance, and have caused disruptions in the delivery of essential services. If unchecked, it can undermine the security and economy of the country.

The government has implemented some initiatives through the Ministry of Communications to improve Ghana’s cybersecurity development.

These include the revision of Ghana’s National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy, the establishment of the National Cyber Security Centre, the launch of the Safer Digital Ghana campaign, the launch of Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Incident Reporting Points of Contact.

Others include the establishment of the Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) at the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Security Operations Centre’s at both the Bank of Ghana and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), as well as capacity building on Cybercrime for the criminal justice sector.

Conclusion

Many people have lost money from these cybercriminals; some have still not even spoken about it. It’s a big menace to society and industry, and we all need to take cybersecurity seriously.

Every Ghanaian that went through the Basic and Secondary school system here in Ghana has written the BECE and WASSCE (or SSCE) respectively. These examinations are what determines where next in the education ladder an individual would climb to.

However, as it is with most documents, certificates from WAEC covering these examinations might get missing. Some people even never had the chance to receive their certificates from their schools.

It must be very disturbing when you want to apply for a job or to further your education only to realise you can’t because you lost your BECE or WASSCE Certificate or you don’t have it at all.

Take for instance the issue of Rakiya, a 21-year-old Ghanaian who needed her BECE Certificate to add to documentation to aid her travel outside the country. She travelled from Accra to the Ahafo region of Ghana only to realise that the school she attended in 2009 had collapsed, and hence there was no way to get her certificate.

Well, there is a way for everyone who wrote the BECE, WASSCE or SSCE to retrieve their certificates online via a means referred to as the attestation of results.

This attestation of results, according to WAEC, is to replace damaged or missing certificates and can be used as a substitute. Let’s walk you through the process.

Collection Centres for replacement of Missing/Damaged WASSCE, SSCE & BECE Results and Certificates

When you are filling the form to replace your certificate, you have to choose a physical location to receive the result when it is ready. Here is the approved list of WAEC offices to receive a new certificate according:

• Accra (Head Office)
• Bolgatanga, Branch Office
• Cape Coast, Branch Office
• Ho, Branch Office
• Koforidua, Branch Office
• Kumasi, Branch Office
• Sekondi, Branch Office
• Sunyani, Branch Office
• Tamale, Branch Office
• Wa, Branch Office

Steps to retrieve your Lost WASSCE, SSCE & BECE Certificate or Results

If you damaged or misplaced your WASSCE, SSCE or BECE results, follow the instructions below to retrieve them:

1. Visit the WAEC Online Attestation of Results online request form at https://resultattestation.waecgh.org/form.aspx
2. On that page, fill in your details and address
3. Next upload a passport photo of yourself
4. Then, enter the examination details for which you need the attestation of results (Index Number, Collection Centre, Examination Type and Examination Year)
5. Next, upload a valid photo ID (about 50KB)
6. Click on “Submit and Proceed to Payment”
7. On the next screen, you will be asked to pay through Visa, MasterCard or AirtelTigo Money. Make your payment of GHS 350.00
8. Click on Submit after payment
9. You will be given a date to collect your new BECE/WASSCE/SSCE Certificate from your chosen Collection Centre.

Conclusion

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has made it possible to retrieve certificates and results. All you need to do is remember your particulars and then you would be able to retrieve either your SSCE, WASSCE or BECE Results.