KGL Has Come To Stay; Fourth Estate Chasing Non-existent Glory
The National Lottery Authority (NLA)–KGL licensing agreement will remain in force, with government opting for a review and possible renegotiation rather than termination, according to former Head of Public Relations at the NLA, Dr. Razak Kojo Opoku.
Dr. Opoku stated that calls by the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) for the cancellation or abrogation of the NLA–KGL contract were not adopted by the government. Instead, he said the government, under President John Dramani Mahama, chose a path of review and renegotiation in the interest of the state and the private sector partner.
He commended the government’s approach, describing it as consistent with Article 36 of the 1992 Constitution, which encourages the protection and promotion of private sector participation and indigenous entrepreneurship.
According to Dr. Opoku, recent claims by the Fourth Estate and MFWA suggesting they influenced the ongoing review process do not reflect the full facts. He explained that the current NLA Board had already written to the Attorney-General’s Department for an assessment of the licensing agreement as part of its statutory mandate, prior to any petition submitted to the Office of the President.
He further noted that the KGL licensing agreement itself provides for a mandatory review every three years, with negotiations expected to begin six months into the subsequent year. He added that both NLA and KGL mutually agreed to bring forward the review to early 2026 to allow sufficient time ahead of implementation in 2027.
Dr. Opoku emphasized that KGL supports the review process being conducted by the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice, stating that the exercise would help bring clarity and closure to public debate surrounding the agreement.
He also stressed that the review and renegotiation process should not be interpreted as a move toward termination or cancellation of the contract.
“KGL has nothing to fear from scrutiny,” he said, adding that the company remains confident in its operations and credibility.
Dr. Opoku concluded by reiterating that the NLA–KGL partnership remains intact and that the review process is part of established contractual and governance procedures.