We Received GHC200,000 from Good Causes Foundation, Not GHC400,000 — KGL Counters NLA Records

The KGL Group has denied claims that it received GHC400,000 from the National Lottery Authority’s (NLA) Good Causes Foundation, insisting that it only received half that amount.

According to the NLA’s disbursement records, the KGL Foundation benefited from two separate payments — GHC300,000 and GHC100,000 — to support its activities. But KGL maintains that its foundation’s accounts reflect only a single payment of GHC200,000 made during the launch of the foundation in 2023.

“Our review of the KGL Foundation account indicates that GHC200,000.00 received from Good Causes Foundation was donated by the former Director-General, Mr. Sammy Awuku, on behalf of the NLA during the KGL Foundation’s formal launch event as part of its fundraising initiatives,” the company said in an email to The Fourth Estate.

“No records of any other transactions from the Good Causes Foundation to the KGL Foundation have been found.”

The clarification comes after The Fourth Estate revealed that nearly GHC50 million from the Good Causes Foundation — which by law is intended to support the needy, the aged, orphans, and persons with disabilities — has instead gone into questionable ventures, including sponsorship of conferences, awards nights, dinners, festivals, and donations to politically connected groups.

The case of KGL Foundation has drawn particular scrutiny, given that KGL already operates NLA’s lucrative 5/90 lotto, which generated more than GHC3 billion in 2024 alone. Critics argue that funds earmarked for vulnerable groups should not be redirected to a corporate foundation with close ties to the NLA.

Awuku’s Justification

Former NLA Director-General Samuel Awuku, who presided over the donation, admitted he could not recall the exact amount given to KGL but defended the expenditure.

“KGL gives in terms of support over two million cedis every year as Good Causes. When they also requested collaborative support, I don’t think it was anything out of the ordinary, looking at what we get from them,” Mr. Awuku explained.

He suggested the support may have been tied to “sports and development” initiatives, adding that no such decision was taken without informing the board.

Mr. Awuku, however, insisted that the NLA’s collaborations with KGL never exceeded GHC200,000 — a claim at odds with the NLA’s own records showing GHC400,000 in disbursements.

Numbers That Don’t Add Up

While KGL insists it received only GHC200,000, the NLA database records GHC400,000. Awuku recalls “once or twice” providing support but cannot confirm exact figures.

Between the denials, justifications, and fading recollections, one fact remains: the vulnerable communities meant to benefit from the Good Causes Foundation are still waiting — while the figures continue to clash on paper.