Story By: Dennis Ato Keelson
A former National Lottery Authority (NLA) public relations head has robustly defended the lottery contract between KGL and NLA, declaring that the partnership was permanent despite media-led campaigns by the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) for its termination.
In a detailed statement, Dr. Razak Kojo Opoku commended the Mahama administration for protecting the “enabling environment for private sector” growth, asserting that the government’s wisdom ensured the “NLA-KGL deal SHALL STAY FOREVER,” subject only to periodic reviews.
The statement hit out at media watchdog Fourth Estate and the MFWA, accusing them of a “U-turn” to claim credit for an ongoing review process. “When the facts, data and reality defeated Fourth Estate… they have now made a U-turn,” he stated.
He clarified that the review was a mandatory, pre-scheduled exercise agreed upon by both NLA and KGL, and had been initiated by the NLA board before any media petition. “KGL, as a responsible corporate entity, fully supports the review process,” he noted, adding it would “bring finality to the unnecessary attacks.”
Dr. Opoku dismissed the critics, saying, “KGL would NOT waste its precious time… to comment on the noise from Fourth Estate.” He concluded that the media groups should “bury their heads in shame” as reviews are “not related to Termination,” and affirmed KGL as a “solid global brand” resilient to negativity.
Below is the full statement.
KGL Has Come To Stay; Fourth Estate Chasing Non-existent Glory
When the Fourth Estate/Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) started their negative campaign against KGL, their suggestion to Mahama’s government was Cancellation/Termination/Abrogation of the ‘terrible’ NLA-KGL contract BUT in the wisdom of Mahama’s government, the NLA-KGL deal SHALL STAY FOREVER with reviews and renegotions in the interests of the State(NLA and GRA) and KGL.
We seriously need to commend the efforts of Mahama’s government for protecting as well as creating enabling environment for private sector and indigenous entrepreneurs to grow as enshrined in Article 36(Economic Objectives) of the 1992 Constitution.
When the facts, data and reality defeated Fourth Estate/Media Foundation for West Africa, they have now made a u-turn to claim credit for the Review Process being undertaken by the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice.
Before the propaganda by Fourth Estate and subsequent petition to the Office of the President, the current Board of NLA as part of its mandate had already written to the Attorney-General for an assessment and review of the licensing agreement with KGL.
Also, even per the licensing agreements of KGL, a review exercise is mandatory after every three years, and negotiations must start 6 months into the next year. However, both NLA and KGL agreed to bring forward the review exercise to early this year 2026 to create enough space for review and negotiations ahead of the implementation in 2027.
KGL, as a responsible corporate entity, fully supports the review process being undertaken by the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice because it will bring finality to the unnecessary attacks against the NLA-KGL deal.
When you have credibility like KGL, you certainly do not have a reason to worry or fear scrutiny. Therefore, KGL as a corporate entity would NOT waste its precious time, energy, and resources to comment on the noise from Fourth Estate.
Since review and renegotiations are not related to Termination or cancellation or abrogation, the Fourth Estate and Media Foundation for West Africa should bury their heads in shame because their evil agenda against KGL was unsuccessful.
KGL is a solid global brand, and no amount of negativity can bring it down, especially one from Fourth Estate and Media Foundation for West Africa who solely depends on donations to survive with no tax payments to the State.
Issued by: Razak Kojo Opoku (PhD)
Former Head of PR, NLA
