Razak Kojo Opoku
The Public Relations Officer of the National Lottery Authority, Razak Kojo Opoku, has denied report that he is paid GHC25000 every month.
“For the record, I, Razak Kojo Opoku, do not take a monthly salary of GHC 25,000 as an employee of NLA. Not even Directors of NLA take such amount of salary. Well, anyone is permitted to cross check from the NLA,” he said.
Allegations
Mr Kojo Opoku’s response comes at the back of allegations that he takes such huge amount home at the end of every month as the PRO of the authority.
NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye, speaking on Accra based Net TV alleged that Mr Kojo Opoku threatened management of the National Lottery Authority with the name of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and other staff at the Presidency to have the NLA kowtow to his whims and caprices hence the huge salary given to him.
The NPP chairman further alleged that Mr Opoku wins lotto of GHC200,000 every weekend.
Illegality
However, according to Mr Opoku, in a statement released yesterday, “NLA Staff are not permitted to play or stake Lotto of any kind”. He said as an employee, it would be illegal for him to engage in such activity.
“If an employee of NLA does so, it is criminal under Act 722 and L. I. 1948, and as such, that employee would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” he explained.
“Since the establishment of NLA (previously DNL), there is no person in Ghana who has been able to win lottery of GHC 200,000 every week. Superhuman beings cannot even achieve that,” he added.
Challenge
Mr Opoku has thus challenged the NPP chairman to provide the proof to his allegations.
“Where is the employment letter that indicate that I received 25,000 Ghana Cedis as monthly salary?
“Where are the Winning Tickets and the Bank Transactions that indicate that I have been winning lottery prize of 200,000 Ghana Cedis every week? The attempts to incite NPP footsoldiers/grassroots against me shall fall flat. It is an outmoded strategy,” he said.
Hands off
In a related development, a group calling itself Concerned NPP Members in Ashanti Region has asked the NPP Bono Regional chairman to stop attacking Mr Kojo Opoku at every least opportunity he gets.
“We the aforementioned group are shocked by the recent unwarranted attacks on the person of our hardworking patriot, Mr Razak Kojo Opoku in the media by Mr Abrony3 and his cohorts. It is unfortunate committed members are allowed to be run down by people who think the NPP is their bonafide property,” the group said.
In a statement signed by Kwadwo Awuah, Convenor of the group, it called on Mr Baffoe and “his likes to desist from their continuous attacks on Razak.”
“Mr Razak Kojo Opoku has contributed significantly to the growth of the NPP in the Ashanti region and Ghana as a whole since 2016 and we won’t sit and fold our arms for self-centred people like Mr Abrony3 to bring him down.
“Mr Kojo Opoku’s sterling performance at the NLA must be commended by all instead of the attacks on him in the media by individuals who should know better,” the statement said.
