The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has presented a GH¢10 million dividend to the government, marking the authority’s first dividend payout to the state since 2017.
While describing the payment as a welcome development, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson stressed that the gesture must not remain merely symbolic, insisting that Ghanaian taxpayers deserve far greater returns from state entities.
Dr Ato Forson revealed that his ministry is collaborating with the Attorney-General to finalize a comprehensive review of existing contractual agreements by the end of this month.
According to him, these arrangements have unreasonably ceded critical revenue streams belonging to the NLA to third parties at the expense of the public purse.
He demanded that the management of the authority refocus strictly on its core mandate to generate maximum value for the nation.
Reiterating his commitment to fiscal discipline, the Finance Minister declared that the government will ensure every pesewa owed to the state by the NLA is fully recovered.
“The taxpayer deserves more than GH¢10 million from NLA, but this is a good step,” he said.
Dr. Forson disclosed that the Ministry was working with the NLA and the Attorney-General to review agreements that had limited the Authority’s returns to the government.
He said the review would be completed this month.
According to him, some of the agreements had ceded an unreasonable share of the Authority’s revenue to other entities, depriving the state of funds that should have accrued to it.
The Minister also urged the NLA to focus on its core mandate and avoid activities outside its statutory responsibilities.
“Let this not be symbolic. Ghana deserves better,” Dr. Forson said, pledging to ensure that the state received its due from the Authority.
Board Chairman Frederick Amissah said the dividend payment marked the beginning of reforms and improvements at the NLA, assuring the government that the Authority would work to deliver stronger returns in the years ahead.
“This is just the beginning of the reforms and improvements in NLA,” he said.
