Former NLA director responds to critics on foundation spending
In an eight-page rebuttal released on September 25, Samuel Awuku insisted that approximately 95 per cent of the foundation’s funds were spent directly on charitable projects
Ghana.- Samuel Awuku, former Director-General of Ghana’s National Lotteries Authority (NLA), has strongly defended the spending record of the NLA’s Good Causes Foundation following a scathing report by Fourth Estate, an investigative journalism outfit.
The report, titled “NLA Good Causes? How Funds Meant for the Poor and Orphans Were Blown on Awards, Galas and the Rich”, alleged that the NLA diverted funds meant for communities toward glamorous events, awards and prominent individuals.
However, in an eight-page rebuttal released on September 25, Awuku insisted that approximately 95 per cent of the foundation’s funds were spent directly on charitable projects, with only about 5 per cent allocated for corporate engagement and marketing. This division, he argued, corrects the misleading depictions of the foundation’s priorities.
Awuku described the promotional expenses as strategic and modest, saying: “These sponsorships may account for approximately 5 per cent of the total, compared to roughly 95 per cent of projects and donations made to save and transform individuals, communities and institutions.”
He added that event sponsorships increase brand visibility and partnerships, ultimately boosting revenue for the Caritas Lottery Platform, the funding arm of the foundation.
Awuku highlighted the growth of revenue under his watch, claiming that Caritas Lottery revenue jumped from GHS 102,585 (€7,054) in 2021 to over GHS 6.2 million (€426,398) in 2024, with cumulative revenue exceeding GHS 11 million (€756,488) during his tenure. He attributed this growth to strategic sponsorships.
To support his 95 per cent claim, Awuku provided a detailed inventory of projects across all 16 regions in Ghana, focusing on the foundation’s four key pillars: Health, Education, Youth & Sports Development and Arts & Culture. The initiatives included construction of neonatal intensive care units, donation of incubators, building of classroom blocks, installation of toilet facilities with mechanised boreholes and relief for disaster victims.
Awuku refuted allegations that funds were wrongfully given to the Rebecca Foundation, owned by the former First Lady, stating that the donation responded to a public appeal to support the construction of a mother and child unit at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, aligning with the foundation’s health and wellness pillar.
The ex-Director-General also accused Fourth Estate of blurring the lines between promotional spending and actual charitable donations, failing to account for the foundation’s wider impact. He criticised the report’s publication of beneficiaries’ names, including patients with serious medical conditions, as a breach of privacy.
The dispute has reignited a public debate over accountability, transparency and the balance between marketing and mission in state-linked charitable ventures. For Awuku, the 95/5 split demonstrates the foundation’s focus on community support and social impact rather than glamour.
