A former Head of Public Relations of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Dr Razak Kojo Opoku, has defended the NLA–KGL licensing agreement, insisting that the deal remains intact despite sustained criticism from investigative outlet The Fourth Estate and its parent organisation, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).

In a statement, Dr Opoku said the decision by the government of President John Dramani Mahama to maintain the agreement reflects a commitment to protecting private sector participation and indigenous entrepreneurship, in line with Article 36 of the 1992 Constitution on economic objectives.

According to him, early calls by The Fourth Estate and MFWA for the cancellation, termination or abrogation of the NLA–KGL contract have not materialised.

Instead, he said the government has opted for a review and possible renegotiation of the agreement to safeguard the interests of the state—particularly the NLA and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)—while preserving the partnership with KGL.

Dr Opoku argued that the ongoing review process, being undertaken by the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, was not a response to media pressure but part of established procedures already initiated by the NLA Board.

He disclosed that the Board had written to the Attorney-General for an assessment of the licensing agreement even before the petition submitted by The Fourth Estate to the Office of the President.

He further explained that the KGL licensing agreement itself mandates a review every three years, with negotiations expected to begin six months into the subsequent year.

However, he said both the NLA and KGL mutually agreed to bring the review forward to early 2026 to allow sufficient time for discussions ahead of implementation in 2027.

Dr Opoku said KGL has welcomed the review process, describing it as an opportunity to bring clarity and finality to what he termed “unnecessary attacks” on the deal.

“KGL has nothing to fear from scrutiny and fully supports the review being conducted by the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice,” he stated, adding that the company has chosen not to engage publicly with what he described as media “noise.”

He also criticised The Fourth Estate and MFWA for, in his view, attempting to take credit for the review process after initially calling for the contract’s cancellation.

He maintained that the review and renegotiation process does not amount to termination or abrogation of the agreement.

Dr Opoku concluded by describing KGL as a strong global brand capable of withstanding criticism and reiterated his support for the government’s approach, which he said balances public interest with the need to create a stable and enabling environment for private sector growth.