Samuel Awuku, the former Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), has accused The Fourth Estate of a fundamental and deliberate error in its recent investigation, stating the media outlet has mischievously conflated strategic marketing expenditures with the core funds of the NLA Good Causes Foundation.
In a detailed rebuttal, the Akuapem North MP expressed disappointment that despite granting an interview to the outlet on August 18, 2025, the resulting publication was a “lopsided story that omits the significant impact made by the Foundation.”
He argued that the report’s central claim is based on a misunderstanding of the NLA’s structure.
Awuku provided crucial context, explaining that the NLA Caritas Lottery Platform, established under the National Lotto Act, is the revenue-generating arm.
“The NLA Caritas Platform has Corporate Ghana as its primary stakeholder,” he stated.
Sponsorships for events like the Africa Prosperity Dialogue and Ghana CEO Summit were, therefore, Marketing Department initiatives to attract key industry players.
“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 revealed that this strategy grew the Caritas Platform from a negligible kitty to generating over GHS 11 million between 2021 and 2024.
He framed the report as “mischief,” designed to mislead the public by blurring the lines between essential revenue-generation activities and the charitable disbursements they enable.
