The Minority in Parliament has welcomed President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to ask Yaw Ampofo Ankrah to step aside as Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), but insists that his removal should be followed by a comprehensive investigation into the alleged World Cup visa irregularities.
The Minority said its earlier call for Mr Ampofo Ankrah’s removal was driven by concerns that the allegations surrounding visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup required accountability and an independent investigation.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, October 7, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Sports Committee, Vincent Assafuah, commended President Mahama for acting on the Minority’s demand.
“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.
He argued that documents and records available to the Minority suggested that the alleged irregularities involved a wider chain of institutional actors and therefore required scrutiny beyond the former NSA Director-General.
The Minority called for investigations of Sports Minister Kofi Adams, the leadership of the Ghana Tourism Authority, officials of the National Sports Authority, officials within the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, TRIBE Culture Fest over the alleged visa fraud and other irregularities linked to Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup, including allegations that unauthorised visa processing fees were charged to applicants.
It has also raised concerns about the submission of individuals with questionable professional credentials to the United States and Canadian embassies as part of arrangements for the tournament.
The Minority had earlier alleged that more than US$600,000 was collected from individuals seeking assistance with visa and travel arrangements, with some applicants allegedly paying as much as US$8,000.
