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NLA Good Causes? How funds meant for the poor and orphans were blown on awards, galas and the rich

In 2021, the National Lottery Authority (NLA), under the leadership of Samuel Awuku, its then Director General, set up what it calls the Good Causes Foundation.

According to NLA documents, the foundation was established in response to provisions of the law that established the authority, requiring it to set up a special lottery for the needy in society.

However, contrary to the purpose of the Good Causes Foundation as outlined in the said section, the foundation spent millions of cedis on glamorous events and other questionable enterprises from 2021 to 2024.

Data available to The Fourth Estate on the foundation’s disbursements shows that a lot of the money was spent on sponsorship of elite organisations and events. For example, while the EMY Africa Awards received GHC90,000, the Ghana CEO Awards got GHC350,000. Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko’s Africa Prosperity Network Awards had GHC250,000, while the GIPC’s Ghana Club 100 Awards had GHC400,000. The Ashanti Business Leaders Excellence Awards received GHC50,000, while Glitz Africa publications also got GHC80,000 for the Ghana Women of the Year award.

Sept. 24, 2025

References:

• https://thefourthestategh.com/2025/09/nla-good-causes-how-funds-meant-for-the-poor-and-orphans-were-blown-on-awards-galas-and-the-rich/
• https://thefourthestategh.com/2025/09/full-list-of-nla-good-causes-foundation-beneficiaries/
• https://www.modernghana.com/news/1435083/nla-money-to-rebecca-foundation-was-to-support.html
• https://theheraldghana.com/former-nla-boss-samuel-awuku-fires-back-at-misleading-corruption-report-by-the-fourth-estate/
• https://www.theghanareport.com/sammi-awuku-denies-misuse-of-nla-good-causes-funds/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcIJoK_JM7Y