Students and other major stakeholders of the notable gambling activity known as Nairabet and Bet9ja, have appealed to the Federal Government to make better policy that’ll accommodate the business rather than abolishing it outright.
Speaking with the National Ambassador correspondent who sampled opinions of some stakeholders in Abia State capital, Umuahia and its environs, Ifeanyi Ohuruogu, an undergraduate in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike said it’ll be a draconian law if the federal government closes the scheme.
Ohuruogu who is addicted to Bet9ja disclosed that he has won on countless times since he started playing the game as a jambite, adding that the game has helped him pay his school fees twice among other succour it has rendered to him.
He urged the Senate to devise ways or law that will enable the managers and owners of the business to remit their legitimate tax or revenues to the government coffers adding that the dealers in the business make a lot of money from it.
The 300 Level student, however, expressed optimism that if the activity is handled properly it would yield the desired result.
Meanwhile some apprentices and young school leavers, described the business as a source of income where you invest a meager sum on the minimum of one hundred naira and earn in thousands revealing that the source has created an avenue for them to have some pocket money on them adding that their masters no longer care to give them money to eat let alone weekend paltry sum for their upkeep.
Also speaking, a Bricklayer, in his late fourties who does not want his name in print said he was introduced into playing the game about a year ago and that since then, it has become a means of income to support his numerous responsibilities and a family man.
The father of six further disclosed that Bet9ja has helped him to pay for his house rent once when he luckily won a huge amount with #500 only having predicted his games correctly and gives him what he described as ‘little change’ for his day-to-day financial obligations in his family.
He, therefore, urged the federal government not to abolish the business but make laws and policies that will encourage it noting that since it’s inception it has become an economic means of surviving hardship and reducing hunger in many homes adding that it has discouraged thievery among the youths.
Meanwhile, an owner of the Nairabet outlets in Umuahia who spoke on the condition of anonymity described the business as genuine and a mode of solving urgent needs of the people through engaging in sporting activities.
He said it’ll be suicidal for the Senate to attempt passing a law that will close down the business and people’s means of livelihood.
According to him, the business under his managerial prowess has engaged over 20 youths working in his firm while claiming that closing down the business means disengaging the youths and making them redundant who according to him are all graduates.
“You can imagine what will happen to so many Nigerian youths working at many Bet9ja outlets scattered all over the country if government succeeds in their mission”, he stated.
He noted that they pay revenues to the State government where they cited their businesses and strongly advocated that laws and policies should be harmonized that will synchronized related businesses with the aim of enhancing it rather than killing it completely.
In another development, a cleric, Pastor Anthony Dioka, supported the federal government to go ahead with the plans of abolishing the business with the view that it has rendered many youths indolent and visionless.
He pointed out that not only the Bet9ja but other gambling activities like Lotto, Pool among others stating that they’re anti scripture and engenders stealing and other social vices.
Pastor Dioka enjoined the Federal and State governments to provide other means of employment and empowerment for the teeming Nigerian youths to discourage them from such activities adding that if there are better job opportunities in the country that no sensible graduates or young school leavers would patronise such business.
