The Director-General of the National Lottery Authority, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, has dismissed recent allegations regarding unauthorized salary adjustments within the state institution. He clarified that no reductions or increments have occurred since he assumed office, despite public speculation.
The Director-General emphasized that the unionized workforce has remained calm because no adverse actions have affected their monthly earnings or welfare packages. He stated that any attempt to decrease worker emoluments would have triggered immediate industrial action and public demonstrations from labor unions.
“And for anybody to attempt to reduce staff salaries, that certainly would not be taken lightly. You would have the unionized workers wearing red armbands and staging demonstrations. They would have even called for a press conferences to challenge their Director-General for attempting to deny them what is due them.”
Mohammed Abdul-Salam, Director-General of NLA
Abdul-Salam noted that the current administrative leadership maintains a transparent relationship with both the local and mother union representatives. Management prioritizes collective bargaining processes to ensure that every decision regarding staff compensation results from formal negotiations rather than unilateral directives.
The Director-General reminded the press that staff members actually received upward adjustments in their pay during the 2015 fiscal period. He explained that the administration consolidated various outstanding percentages to ensure a total salary increase of 13% for the general workforce.
This approach has allowed the Authority to address long-standing financial grievances that previous administrations could not resolve due to claims of insufficient funding.
The Director-General simplified that his personal compensation remains fixed according to the established conditions of service approved over a decade ago. He argued that those spreading rumors about self-approved raises lack a basic understanding of how the Ghanaian public sector functions.
Statutory bodies such as the Public Services Commission and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission hold the legal mandate to oversee such financial reviews. The NLA Governing Board relies on the expert advice of these external regulators before authorizing any changes to executive or staff pay structures.
The Director-General explained that the 2015 conditions of service govern his current earnings, with no modifications or hidden bonuses. He reiterated that he lacks the legal authority or constitutional power to influence his own salary or participate in the approval of his benefits.
The administration has identified the need for a holistic review of the executive management conditions of service, as the document has remained unchanged since 2015. Senior management members have advocated for this review to reflect modern economic realities after ten years of stagnation in their benefit packages.
Abdul-Salam authorized a six-member committee, led by his deputy, to study the existing framework and propose necessary updates to the board. This internal committee aims to conclude the work started by the previous Director-General, who departed before the finalization of the review process.
The Governing Board requested comparative data from other public financial institutions to ensure that any proposed increments align with industry standards. This data collection phase faced challenges because many organizations treat top-level executive compensation packages as private and confidential records.
Management eventually sought guidance from the Public Services Commission when the benchmarking process stalled due to a lack of external data. The Commission directed the Authority to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission as the ultimate authority on public sector wage determination.
The NLA formally transmitted the necessary documents to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to obtain a professional recommendation for the Governing Board. This procedural step ensures that the institution follows all legal requirements before making any decisions regarding the future of management compensation.
False publications emerged in various media outlets before the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission could provide its initial feedback or advice. These reports suggested that the Director-General received massive sums for housing and other luxuries, despite the absence of any official board approval.
National Lottery Authority Board Maintains Statutory Oversight Roles
Director-General Mohammed Abdul-Salam also confirmed that the NLA Governing Board has not received or approved any new recommendations for salary enhancements. He stressed that the entire process remains in the preliminary stages of administrative review and regulatory consultation with the appropriate state agencies.
The Director-General pointed out that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has yet to issue a formal directive regarding the proposed management review. Without this crucial input, the Governing Board cannot legally move forward with any changes to the existing financial structure of the organization. He dismissed reports of extravagant rent allowances as fabrications intended to damage his professional reputation and the image of the Authority.
The Director-General observed that certain individuals likely acted out of personal grievances or a desire to undermine his leadership through misinformation. He suggested that these false narratives surfaced because his critics failed to find any genuine instances of financial or administrative malpractice.
The NLA leadership continues to operate under the 2015 guidelines while awaiting the conclusion of the statutory review by the relevant commissions. The Director-General affirmed his commitment to following the rule of law and established protocols governing the expenditure of public funds.
The administration remains focused on maintaining industrial harmony by ensuring that the interests of unionized staff and executive management are balanced. Abdul-Salam maintained that the Authority will only implement changes that receive the full backing of the NLA Board and national wage regulators.
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