Minority demands removal of NSA DG Yaw Ampofo Ankrah over 2026 World Cup visa scandal

Ghana's Minority in Parliament has demanded that National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah step aside while police investigate a 2026 FIFA World Cup visa facilitation scheme. The Minority alleges that some individuals were charged up to $8,000 for assistance with travel arrangements related to the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The caucus claims posters promoting visa acquisition services were displayed at NSA offices and near the stadium. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, stated that Ampofo Ankrah should step aside pending the investigation's outcome. The opposition questioned why a private entity was allowed to operate from a state sports facility and how the estimated $600,000 generated through the arrangement was spent.

The Minority wants answers about who authorized the arrangement, who received the money, the services provided, and what happened to those who paid but did not receive promised services. They stress that they are not prejudging the investigation's outcome and call on the President to dismiss Ampofo Ankrah immediately or require him to step aside until the investigation concludes. The National Sports Authority, however, denies any wrongdoing.