The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament has called for the removal of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams and Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Chief Executive Officer Maame Afua Houadjeto pending investigations into alleged irregularities surrounding Ghana’s 2026 World Cup visa arrangements.
The Minority made the demand during a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, following President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to ask the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, to step aside while the police investigate the allegations.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said the decision involving Yaw Ampofo Ankrah should be viewed as the beginning of a wider accountability process and not the end of the matter.
According to him, removing one official from office does not fully address the concerns raised over the alleged World Cup visa arrangements.
“The dismissal of Yaw Ampofo Ankrah does not, by itself, resolve the issues before us. Accountability cannot and does not end with one individual,” Mr Assafuah said.
Minority Raises Questions Over World Cup Visa Arrangements
The Minority said documents available to it suggest that the National Sports Authority, Ghana Tourism Authority, TRIBE Culture Fest and officials within the Ministry of Sports and Recreation may have played roles in the controversial visa arrangements.
It alleged that some individuals who were neither employees nor affiliates of public institutions were presented as representatives or associates of those institutions in engagements with foreign diplomatic missions.
The Minority also raised concerns over alleged payments ranging from US$7,000 to US$14,000 by individuals seeking access to the visa arrangements.
Mr Assafuah therefore called for a comprehensive investigation into the roles of the Sports Minister, GTA leadership, National Sports Authority officials and TRIBE Culture Fest.
Calls for Criminal Investigation and Prosecution
The Minority further argued that any public official found to have breached administrative rules should face appropriate sanctions, while individuals found to have committed criminal offences should be prosecuted.
Mr Assafuah stressed that administrative action alone would not amount to full accountability where evidence of criminal conduct exists.
“Dismissal is not prosecution. Removal from office is not accountability for criminal conduct. Where there is evidence of a crime, the appropriate law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities must pursue the matter,” he said.
US, Canada Embassies Raise Concerns
The Minority said the controversy extends beyond routine World Cup visa applications, alleging that the names, authority and credibility of Ghanaian public institutions may have been used in dealings with foreign diplomatic missions.
According to Mr Assafuah, certain positions were attributed to individuals even though, based on institutional records, those positions allegedly did not exist within the organisational structure of the National Sports Authority.
He further disclosed that the Fraud Prevention Unit of the United States Embassy identified discrepancies involving four visa applicants and requested documentation to establish whether they were genuinely employed by the National Sports Authority.
The Minority also said the Canadian Embassy subsequently sought clarification regarding the employment status and travel purposes of individuals described as being affiliated with the sports authority.
The Minority is therefore demanding a broader investigation into the alleged Ghana World Cup visa scandal, including the involvement of public officials, institutions and private organisations connected to the arrangements.
The controversy is expected to remain a major issue as investigations continue into Ghana’s preparations and visa-related arrangements ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Source: newsthemegh.com