Former Public Relations Manager of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Razak Kojo Opoku, has strongly refuted recent reports by The Fourth Estate that suggest tension between the NLA and KGL Technology Limited over data requests.
According to him, the reports are “baseless, misleading, and laughable,” describing The Fourth Estate’s publication on the NLA KGL Deal as a “fishing expedition” driven by misinformation.
Routine Administrative Request Misconstrued
Mr. Opoku explained that as part of standard administrative procedures, the NLA wrote to KGL on 7th October 2025 requesting sales and revenue data for the period 1st January to 30th September 2025. This was to facilitate a review of KGL’s operations for the upcoming 2026 financial year.
He clarified that KGL officially received the letter on 13th October and responded on 17th October 2025, requesting an extension to 31st October 2025 to compile and audit the required information.
“KGL only asked for more time to ensure accuracy and transparency. That cannot be described as a ‘pushback,’ as The Fourth Estate falsely claimed,” he noted.
He added that the NLA agreed to the new date since KGL needed to reconcile data with MTN, Telecel, and AirtelTigo before submission.
No Breach or Corruption Allegations in the NLA-KGL Deal
Mr. Opoku questioned whether The Fourth Estate’s report was based on any real evidence of wrongdoing, emphasizing that the NLA’s correspondence did not include any breaches or corruption allegations.
“For the Director-General of NLA not to request data for 2019–2024 shows how compliant and responsible KGL has been over the years,” he stated.
He also confirmed that KGL has consistently submitted fully audited data to both the NLA and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for reconciliation and tax purposes.
Leaks from Within NLA, Not KGL
The former PR Manager dismissed suggestions that The Fourth Estate obtained leaked documents from KGL. Instead, he alleged that their information came from individuals within the NLA who violated confidentiality agreements.
“The leadership of KGL knows exactly where The Fourth Estate got its misinformation from. Their sources are within the NLA, breaching sections 10, 11, and 16 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989),” he stated.
He further revealed that these internal sources were recently exposed to both the NLA and KGL leadership.
Data Requests Are Normal Industry Practice
Mr. Opoku clarified that the NLA’s data requests to KGL and other partners are normal industry procedures. Companies such as Lots Services Ghana Limited and Simnet Ghana Limited also receive similar correspondence.
“NLA periodically requests sales and revenue data before and after lotto draws. This has been standard practice since the enactment of Act 722 in 2006,” he explained.
He added that even the GRA routinely accesses KGL’s data to ensure tax compliance. “If GRA can obtain the data, why would NLA struggle to do the same?” he questioned.
Call for Accuracy and Professionalism
Mr. Opoku accused The Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) of lacking professionalism and a proper understanding of lottery operations.
“They are simply trying to save face after failing to establish any corruption or wrongdoing in the NLA KGL Deal,” he said.
He emphasized that all KGL operations are transparent and audited by multiple agencies, including the NLA, GRA, Bank of Ghana, NCA, and telecom partners.
He urged the media to support indigenous companies and prioritize factual reporting over what he described as “jandam journalism.”
Encouraging Transparency and Accountability
Mr. Opoku concluded by encouraging The Fourth Estate to focus on how much revenue NLA has received from KGL and other collaborators for the period between January and September 2025, including:
- Onassis Lotto
- Licensed Private Lotto Operators and Agents
- Technical Service Providers
- Lotto Marketing Companies
- Licensed Collaborators
He maintained that KGL’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and proper reconciliation is well-documented and should not be distorted by misinformation.
Issued by:
Razak Kojo Opoku
Former Public Relations Manager, National Lottery Authority (NLA)