The Director General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Samuel Awuku has disclosed how the NLA Good Causes Foundation has made an impact on about 1 million lives in the country.

During an exclusive interview with media personality Nhyira Addo on Asaase FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Sammi Awuku highlighted some of his achievements since he became the Director General of the NLA.

According to him, under his tenure since the Good Causes Foundation was introduced and launched, about one million people have benefited from the projects of this Foundation.

“The Good Causes which is our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was introduced during my tenure, in October 2021. Within 3 years, the Good Causes has touched about 1 million lives. NLA didn’t have that but I introduced it and I believe that it will be one of the legacies I will leave behind”. He disclosed.

According to him, when people stake lottery and do not win, the monies are used for CSR activities like providing portable drinking water for communities who lack good water to drink, construction of boreholes, reconstruction of dilapidated structures and supporting pregnant women and widows financially.

PILLARS OF THE GOOD CAUSES FOUNDATION

The NLA Good Causes Foundation is not just a charitable initiative but also a pillar of the Authority’s National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722), Section 1 Clause 3, which states that “there shall be conducted as part of the operation of National Lotto a lottery with the object of providing care and protection for the physically or mentally afflicted, the needy, the aged, orphans, and destitute children”.

This alignment ensures the foundation’s legitimacy and underscores its purpose.

The Foundation, headed by the Coordinator, Ms. Amma Frimpong, spearheads the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility and aims to develop, implement, and maintain a structure based on four main pillars approved by the NLA Governing Board.

The Health Pillar focuses on infrastructure support, training mental health workers, providing hospital supplies, and expanding nationwide medical outreaches on specific ailments.

The Education Pillar focuses on awarding educational support to brilliant but needy students. NLA also supports educational institutions with the necessary logistics and sponsors programs and projects that meet the Foundation’s objectives.

The Youth and Sports Development Pillar covers capacity building for the youth and supports sporting activities, focusing on developing lesser-known sports. It also assists SMEs owned by young people with technical and skill support to help them be innovative. Special attention is also given to persons with disabilities and special needs who may want to enter entrepreneurship.

The Arts and Culture Pillar supports projects safeguarding and protecting Ghanaian cultural events and educational programs.

The NLA Governing Board also determines discretionary projects that the Authority undertakes annually.