{
  "id": 13381303,
  "title": "World Cup visa scandal: Sports Ministry not shielding anyone – Sports Minister’s special aide",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/world-cup-visa-scandal-sports-ministry-not-shielding-anyone-sports",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T09:53:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/world-cup-visa-scandal-sports-ministry-not-shielding-anyone-sports-ministers-special-aide/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "According to the Sports Minister's special aide, Wonder Sitsofe Mandel, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation will not protect anyone involved in wrongdoing related to the World Cup visa scandal investigation. Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Mandel emphasized that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is probing the matter and that the ministry will hold accountable anyone who engaged in unlawful activities. He stated that if anyone collected money illegally or abused the office process for personal gain, the ministry would present the relevant applicant for scrutiny. The controversy stems from the payment of around $623,000 in visa facilitation fees connected to Ghana's preparations for the World Cup. President John Mahama had previously suspended Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, the Director General of the NSA, pending the investigations into the matter. The Minority Party is now calling for an extension of the probe to other officials they claim played a role in the arrangements, demanding the Sports Minister and GTA Chief Executive be removed from office and prosecuted if found guilty.",
  "summary": "The special aide to the Sports Minister, Wonder Sitsofe Mandel, says the Ministry of Sports and Recreation will not shield anyone found to have engaged in wrongdoing in the ongoing investigation into the alleged World Cup visa scandal.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "Kofi Adams denies Sports Ministry role in 2026 World Cup visa scandal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/kofi-adams-denies-sports-ministry-role-in-2026-world-cup-visa-scandal",
        "published": "2026-10-10T10:49:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "World Cup visa scandal: Senyo Hosi urges focus on constitutional accountability",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/world-cup-visa-scandal-senyo-hosi-urges-focus-on-constitutional",
        "published": "2026-10-10T11:29:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}