Samuel Awuku, the former Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), has charged The Fourth Estate with a significant and intentional error in its recent investigation, asserting that the media outlet has deceitfully conflated strategic marketing expenditures with the principal funds of the NLA Good Causes Foundation.
The Member of Parliament for Akuapem North expressed dissatisfaction in a detailed response, stating that while an interview was conducted with the outlet on August 18, 2025, the ensuing article presented a “lopsided narrative that neglects the substantial contributions of the Foundation.” He said that the report’s primary assertion is based on a misinterpretation of the NLA’s framework.
Awuku offered important insights, clarifying that the NLA Caritas Lottery Platform, created under the National Lotto Act, serves as the revenue-generating component.
He further stressed that the initiatives undertaken by the Marketing Department to secure sponsorships for events such as the Africa Prosperity Dialogue and the Ghana CEO Summit aimed to engage pivotal figures within the industry.
“The association with these brands brought several benefits to the NLA, including increased brand awareness and visibility, which helped the Authority pitch its brand to industry leaders for stakeholder collaborations, thereby generating revenue for the Caritas Lottery Platform, which in turn, funds the Good Causes Foundation,” Awuku explained.
He observed that the benefit derived from the strategy resulted in the Caritas Platform expanding from a minimal fund to generating over GHS 11 million from 2021 to 2024. He characterized the report as “mischief,” intended to confuse the public by obscuring the distinction between critical revenue-generating operations and the charity distributions they facilitate.
