Business strategist and university lecturer Dr Razak Kojo Opoku has challenged efforts by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and its investigative journalism project, The Fourth Estate, to obtain the Interministerial Committee report on contracts between the National Lottery Authority (NLA) and KGL Technology Limited.
His comments followed a report by The Fourth Estate accusing government institutions of sending the MFWA between offices without releasing the document.
According to The Fourth Estate, the MFWA initially requested the report from the Office of the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice. The office reportedly responded that it did not have custody of the document and directed the applicant to the Office of the President.
The Presidency subsequently referred the MFWA to the Ministry of Finance, describing it as the institution with oversight responsibility and custody of the report.
The MFWA said it submitted a request to the Ministry’s Information Officer on July 1, 2026, but had received no response by July 30. It has since petitioned Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to intervene.
Under Section 23(5) of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), an application is deemed refused when a public institution fails to determine it within 14 days.
Response
Responding to the controversy, Dr Opoku said even KGL, which is directly involved in the review and renegotiation of the contracts, has not received a copy of the report despite submitting requests to the Office of the President, the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Finance.
He questioned why The Fourth Estate, which is not a party to the negotiations, should receive the report when KGL itself has not been given access.
Dr Opoku said the ongoing financial renegotiations between the government and KGL were being guided by an April 7, 2026 letter from the Office of the President, signed by Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama.
He argued that the government’s decision must be considered within the exemptions provided under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).
According to him, Sections 5 and 6 of the Act protect information submitted to the President, Vice-President or Cabinet where disclosure could undermine deliberations or prejudice the formulation and implementation of government policy.
He said Sections 10 and 11 also exempt financial, commercial and technical information whose disclosure could damage the state’s financial interests, disrupt business, prejudice negotiations or undermine the competitive position of an organisation.
Dr Opoku further cited Section 13, which exempts opinions, advice, recommendations and consultations where disclosure is likely to undermine the deliberative process of a public institution.
Public interest argument rejected
He rejected suggestions that the report should be released under the public-interest provisions in Section 17 of the Act.
Dr Opoku maintained that the April 7 letter from the Presidency recognised the NLA-KGL contracts as legal and directed that the recommendations arising from the inquiry be implemented through renegotiation.
He argued that the contracts did not present an imminent threat to public safety, health or morality and did not involve a miscarriage of justice, abuse of authority or neglect of official duty.
He consequently urged journalists and applicants seeking information under the RTI Act to consider the exemptions in Sections 5 to 17 before applying for access or pursuing a review of a refusal.
The statement did not include responses from The Fourth Estate or the Media Foundation for West Africa to Dr Opoku’s claims and interpretation of the law.
