Minority urges full probe into World Cup visa allegations after Ampofo Ankrah’s removal

The Minority in Ghana's Parliament has welcomed President John Mahama's decision to remove Yaw Ampofo Ankrah as Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), but emphasizes that this action must be followed by a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, commended President Mahama for acting on the Minority's demand, stating that accountability and an independent investigation are necessary in light of serious questions surrounding the alleged World Cup visa arrangements. However, Assafuah stressed that the removal of NSA Director-General should not be seen as the end of the matter, as documents and records suggest that the alleged irregularities involved a wider chain of institutional actors.

The Minority is calling for investigations into the roles of the Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams, the leadership of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), officials of the NSA, officials within the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and private entity TRIBE Culture Fest. They want the investigation to examine alleged visa-related irregularities and other concerns linked to Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup, including claims that unauthorized visa processing fees were charged to applicants and that individuals with questionable professional credentials were submitted to the United States and Canadian embassies as part of tournament arrangements.

The Minority has previously 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.

Brief written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.