The Senegalese National Lottery (LONASE) has become aware of a letter from the mayor of Dakar-Plateau, M. Alioune Ndoye, which was published on its Facebook account. In this letter, the mayor accuses LONASE of harming the living environment and failing in its social responsibilities.
LONASE would like to clarify that, as a national public corporation, all its activities are conducted in strict compliance with existing laws and regulations. This includes a historic partnership that is generally well-received by the local communities. The same principles guided the establishment of points of sale in the municipality of Dakar-Plateau.
Each LONASE kiosk is installed following an administrative process that includes obtaining authorization from the relevant municipal services and regularly paying occupation taxes. LONASE asserts that its kiosks do not represent illegal or chaotic occupation; rather, they are part of a formal deployment model that contributes to creating both direct and indirect jobs and mobilizes tax resources for the benefit of the municipalities.
Since M. Alioune Ndoye became mayor of Dakar-Plateau, LONASE has observed a regrettable hostility towards its operations. This has been marked by arbitrary eviction actions against its points of sale, often carried out without prior notice or consultation. These measures, seemingly based on the mayor’s whims, have led to the demolition of several legally installed kiosks.
Beyond the material losses incurred, these abrupt and senseless actions reflect a disregard for the social and human aspects of LONASE’s activities, which actively contribute to the local economy and the vitality of commerce. LONASE regrets the public response to a situation that could have been resolved calmly within an institutional framework.
The organization has always expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue to find appropriate solutions for better collaboration. In fact, in a letter dated July 1, 2024, just one month after M. Ndoye took office, the Director General of LONASE reached out to the mayor regarding the evacuations of LONASE points of sale in the municipality.
He invited Mayor Ndoye to organize a meeting with all stakeholders to discuss the situation and explore sustainable solutions that respect the interests of all parties. However, in his response on July 10, 2024, the mayor showed no willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue. Despite the mayor’s hostile attitude, LONASE remains open to dialogue, as it does with other local authorities, to find appropriate solutions.
