Minority demands suspension or dismissal of NSA boss over World Cup visa allegations

Parliament's Minority faction is calling for the suspension or removal of the National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, over allegations of collecting over $600,000 for visa facilitation during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, a member of the Youth and Sports Committee, stated that the allegations are significant enough to warrant Ankrah stepping aside while investigations proceed.

A petition has been submitted to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to probe the claims that more than $600,000 was collected, allegedly by the NSA, from visa applicants.

While some individuals have been investigated, the NSA has denied any involvement in the collection of the money. The Director-General has also distanced the National Sports Authority from the alleged collection, stating they played no role. However, the Minority remains convinced the allegations, dubbed "visa racketeering," are serious enough to warrant Ankrah's removal.

The Minority believes the NSA's leadership should not continue in office during the investigation. This call follows a recent appearance by the Youth and Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, before Parliament's Youth and Sports Committee, where he addressed the visa allegations and other sector matters. The Minority expressed dissatisfaction with the minister's responses and maintained its demand for the NSA Director-General to be dismissed or step aside to allow investigations to continue.