The Minority in Parliament says the decision by President John Dramani Mahama to ask Yaw Ampofo Ankrah to step aside as Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) should pave the way for a broader investigation into the alleged irregularities surrounding Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup visa arrangements.
The Minority welcomed the President’s decision but stressed that the removal of the former NSA Director-General should not be considered the conclusion of the matter.
Ranking Member of Parliament’s Sports Committee, Vincent Assafuah, said the caucus had earlier called for Mr Ampofo Ankrah to step aside because his continued presence at the NSA could undermine efforts to establish accountability over the allegations.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, October 7, Mr Assafuah said the Minority’s position was based on the need to ensure that investigations into the visa arrangements could proceed without the NSA Director-General remaining at the centre of the institution.
“We raised that call because we believed that, in the face of the serious questions surrounding the alleged World Cup visa arrangements, there was a need for accountability and for the investigation to proceed without the continued presence of the Director-General at the helm of affairs at the institution,” he said.
Minority widens scope of accountability
The caucus, however, argues that the allegations extend beyond the former NSA Director-General.
Mr Assafuah said documents and records available to the Minority suggested that several institutional actors could have been involved in the arrangements, requiring investigators to examine the broader chain of responsibility.
The Minority is therefore calling for investigations into the roles of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams, the leadership of the Ghana Tourism Authority, officials of the NSA, officials of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and TRIBE Culture Fest.
It wants the investigation to cover alleged visa fraud and other irregularities linked to Ghana’s preparations for the tournament, including claims that unauthorised fees were charged to individuals seeking visa assistance.
The caucus has also raised questions over the submission of individuals with questionable professional credentials to the United States and Canadian embassies as part of the arrangements.
Claims of large payments
The Minority has previously alleged that more than US$600,000 was collected from individuals seeking assistance with visa and travel arrangements for the World Cup.
According to the caucus, some applicants allegedly paid as much as US$8,000.
The Minority is therefore insisting that the investigation establish who authorised the arrangements, how applicants were selected and processed, what payments were collected, and which officials or organisations were responsible for the process.
It maintains that accountability should extend to every individual or institution found to have played a role in any wrongdoing.
The allegations raised by the Minority have not, in themselves, established criminal liability, and the issues remain subject to investigation.
