Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, former public relations officer of National Lottery Authority (NLA), has refuted claims by some media outlets, including the Fourth Estate and its Executive Director, Mr Sulemana Briamah, that the National Lottery Authority (NLA) breached the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722) through its partnership with KGL Technology Limited.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency to clarify his article titled “Public Education About National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722) and Lottery Regulations, 2008 (L.I. 1948)”, Mr Opoku described such claims as “misleading, legally unfounded, and borne out of misinformation,” stressing that the NLA-KGL partnership is fully backed by existing laws governing the lottery industry in Ghana.
He said contrary to assertions that only the NLA can operate online lottery systems such as the 5/90 USSD and web-based platforms, Act 722 provides clear distinctions between “operating” and “selling” lottery products and allows for partnerships and licensing arrangements.
“To operate lottery under Act 722 means to conduct and supervise lotto draws, which remains the exclusive function of the NLA. However, the Authority is also empowered to license third-party companies to sell its products under its regulatory powers,” Mr Opoku explained.
He cited Sections 5 to 14 of Act 722 and Regulation 12 of L.I. 1948 as legal bases for licensing companies such as KGL Technology Limited to retail NLA’s 5/90 products via USSD and online platforms.
Mr Opoku further indicated that Section 35(2) of Act 722 explicitly prevents the NLA from directly retailing lottery products to the staking public, hence the need to rely on licensed marketing companies and technology collaborators.
He said: “It is therefore false and misleading for anyone to claim that NLA can manage USSD and web-based lottery sales independently. The law does not support such retail activity by the Authority itself.”
Mr Opoku explained that under Section 2(4) of Act 722, the NLA was also empowered to enter collaborations, partnerships, or joint ventures to operate games of chance.
He argued that this provision formed the legal foundation for the NLA-KGL partnership, which he described as the most successful licensing arrangement in the Authority’s history.
“Since the partnership began, KGL has contributed more financial resources to the NLA and the state than any other licensee. The data clearly shows that the collaboration has significantly enhanced revenue generation,” he noted.
Mr Opoku dismissed allegations of corruption in the NLA-KGL arrangement, stating that the partnership was regularly supervised and reviewed by the NLA Board, in accordance with its powers under Act 722.
He accused critics of misinterpreting Section 2(3) of the Act, which called for a special lottery to raise funds for vulnerable groups, noting that the provision referred to a specific product that the NLA was yet to implement, not to the entirety of its revenue.
He also urged media critics to focus on what he termed “the real problems” confronting the NLA, such as illegal lottery operators who dominate nearly 80 per cent of the market without contributing taxes, and outdated commission structures that heavily burden the Authority’s finances.
Mr Opoku concluded that the NLA-KGL agreement aligned fully with the Authority’s operational, regulatory, supervisory, management, and partnership powers as outlined under Act 722 and L.I. 1948.
“The NLA-KGL deal is the best license agreement ever issued by the Board of the National Lottery Authority. It has delivered value to the state, to NLA, and to GRA, and deserves national support, not needless attacks,” he said.
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