Former Public Relations Officer of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Dr Razak Kojo Opoku, has renewed his demand for the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and its investigative platform, The Fourth Estate, to substantiate claims that the NLA handed over a GHS3 billion business to a private company.
He argued that nearly a year after the publication of the allegation, neither MFWA Executive Director Sulemana Braimah nor The Fourth Estate has produced audited accounts, financial records or documentary evidence to support the claim.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Opoku questioned the credibility of the report, accusing the journalists behind it of failing to adhere to proper fact-checking and verification standards.
“Almost a year now, this dishonest dude has not been able, through facts, data and audited accounts of NLA, to substantiate this unfounded allegation,” he wrote.
He further suggested that some investigative journalism efforts were being driven by interests that could harm the reputation of indigenous Ghanaian businesses.
The controversy stems from a publication by The Fourth Estate which alleged that the NLA transferred a GHS3 billion business to private gaming company KGL, raising concerns about the Authority’s financial management.
Mr. Opoku has consistently rejected the claim, describing it as misleading and stating that the NLA has never generated such revenue levels.
He cited figures indicating that the Authority’s total revenue between 2017 and 2020 was approximately GHS1.47 billion, with expenditure of about GHS1.385 billion.
He also referenced historical revenue data suggesting that annual earnings between 2012 and 2016 ranged from GHS242 million to GHS402 million, insisting the Authority has never reached GHS500 million in a single year.
On the relationship between the NLA and KGL, Mr. Opoku maintained that the arrangement is a licensing agreement rather than a procurement contract, adding that KGL operates under the regulatory supervision of the Authority.
“It is a licence agreement, not a procurement contract,” he stated, noting that the partnership has contributed to revenue mobilisation efforts over the years.
