The President of Malta, Dr. George Vella and his wife, Mary-Anne Vella on a three-day working visit to Ghana, over the weekend stormed the National Lottery Authority, (NLA) office to meet with the Director General, Sammi Awuku.

The President of Malta, Dr. George William Vella, was received at the Kotoka International Airport by the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and other government officials.

He later held bilateral talks with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House, after a guard of honor was mounted for him at the forecourt of the seat of government.

Later in the evening, a state banquet was held for the visiting President and his delegation at the Jubilee House.

On the next day, President Vella and First Lady Miriam will then visit the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum where he will lay wreaths and embark on a guided tour.

At the NLA Head office engagement, the Director General of NLA, Mr. Samuel Awuku welcomed the Malta President, and his delegation and had fruitful discussions on collaboration, innovation, enhancing cooperation, and promoting mutual growth for the NLA and the Malta Gaming Authority.

Sixty years on, DNL now an autonomous body, the National Lottery Authority NLA, reconnects with its mother lottery Authority in Malta.

A team comprising some Board Members and Management led by the Director-General, Mr. Samuel Awuku, officially paid a visit to the Malta Gaming Authority to invite them to NLA’s 60th Anniversary Celebration in November 2022.

An Island country in Southern Europe, Malta chose Ghana as the preferred choice for the establishment of its first-ever mission, the High Commission in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

In 2014, Ghana became the first Sub-Saharan country to establish a resident mission in Valletta, the Maltese capital.

In the same year, both countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a Joint Commission for Cooperation which enables them to deepen bilateral cooperation in areas including migration, tourism, medicine, education, fisheries, sports, and candidature of diplomatic appointments.

Malta reciprocated the diplomatic ties by opening a resident mission in Accra in 2019, serving as its diplomatic mission in SSA.

Five years ago, the two signed an agreement on the waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official/service passports.