Finance Minister Demands Higher Returns From NLA
Finance Minister Demands Higher Returns From NLA After GH¢10 Million Dividend
The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has finally resumed paying dividends to the state after years without one, but Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson isn’t satisfied with just that. While he welcomed the GH¢10 million payout as a positive step, he made it clear the taxpayer deserves considerably more.
Forson received the payment from the NLA’s Board of Directors, led by Board Chairman Frederick Amissah and Director-General Mohammed Abdul-Salam. He noted that the Authority used to pay dividends annually, but that practice quietly stopped after 2017 meaning this GH¢10 million marks the first contribution back to the Ministry of Finance in several years.
The taxpayer deserves more than GH¢10 million from NLA, but this is a good step, Forson said, striking a tone that was appreciative but far from fully satisfied.
Forson revealed that the Ministry is currently working alongside the NLA and the Attorney-General to review existing agreements that have been restricting how much revenue actually flows back to government. He said this review is expected to wrap up by the end of the month.
According to him, some of these agreements had handed an unreasonably large share of the Authority’s revenue to outside entities, essentially diverting funds that should have gone to the state.
Beyond the financial review, Forson also pushed the NLA to stay firmly within its statutory lane, urging the Authority to concentrate on its core mandate rather than drifting into activities outside its official responsibilities.
His closing message carried a clear warning not to treat this dividend as a one-off gesture. Let this not be symbolic. Ghana deserves better, he said, pledging to ensure that government gets its fair share from the Authority going forward.
Board Chairman Frederick Amissah responded by framing this dividend as just the starting point of a larger reform process at the NLA. He assured government that the Authority is committed to delivering stronger returns in the years to come.
This is just the beginning of the reforms and improvements in NLA, Amissah said.
