NLA revenue-sharing deal with KGL must be corrected – Dr Ato Forson

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has revealed that a significant portion of the revenue generated by the National Lottery Authority (NLA) has been ceded to KGL at the expense of the government, an arrangement he says must be corrected. According to Dr Forson, the current revenue-sharing arrangement does not give the state a fair return from the lottery business. “The revenue has been ceded unreasonably to the other entity as against the government. We believe that needs to be corrected, and we will correct it,” he said. How Kasapreko's GSE listing added $174 million to Adjei family wealth The Finance Minister disclosed that he is working with the Attorney-General to address the issue, with the government expected to finalise the relevant agreements in October. “I am working with the Attorney-General. This month, October, we will finalise those agreements,” he stated. Dr Forson made the comments as he welcomed a payment of more than GH¢10 million from the NLA to the government. He said the payment marked an important development because, according to him, the Authority had not paid any money to the Ministry of Finance since 2018. “From 2018 to today, National Lottery Authority had not presented a pesewa to the Ministry of Finance until this morning,” he said. Despite welcoming the payment, Dr Forson insisted that the government expects significantly more revenue from the Authority. “The taxpayer deserves more than ten million. Yes, it’s a good start, but you have to do more,” he said. He further cautioned the NLA against using surplus funds to independently finance projects under “Good Causes” when such funds could instead be transferred to the government to support public expenditure. “If you have enough money and want to spend it on good causes, bring it to the government. It’s not your business. We will provide public good to the people of Ghana on your behalf,” he said. Oil prices fall after G7 releases 100 million barrels – What it means for Ghana Dr Forson said the government wants the NLA to perform better and contribute more to the public purse, while ensuring that agreements governing the lottery business provide greater value to the state and taxpayers. DR/MA Inside Ghana’s Abandoned Engineering Powerhouse: What Went Wrong? Source: www.ghanaweb.com
« Previous | Next »