The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus in Ghana's Parliament has demanded a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This call comes after the suspension of Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA). The Minority Caucus commended President John Dramani Mahama for taking action but stressed that the issues go beyond one individual.
According to Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Ranking Member of the Youth and Sports Committee of Parliament, the controversy involves multiple entities, including the NSA, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and a private partner, TRIBE Culture Fest. The engagement began after TRIBE Culture Fest was introduced to the NSA and GTA in connection with Ghana's activities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on June 2, 2025, for joint execution of Ghana's World Cup framework.
Under the arrangements, TRIBE was to facilitate visa processing, accommodation, and logistics for personnel at a cost of US$3,000 per person for US visas and US$2,000 for Canadian visas. Following meetings with the US and Canadian embassies, visa slots were allocated for staff and affiliates of the institutions traveling for World Cup-related promotion. However, lists submitted to the embassies allegedly included persons whose institutional status could not be verified.
Citing documents in his possession, Assafuah alleged that on January 28, 2026, 22 persons were presented to the US Embassy as NSA personnel, with verification checks showing discrepancies in titles. The Fraud Prevention Unit of the US Embassy flagged four applicants in March 2026, requesting proof of employment. The Canadian Embassy later sought clarification on a list of 102 persons submitted in June 2026, of whom only 15 were verifiable NSA staff.
The Minority Caucus also alleged irregularities on the GTA side, with 50 persons presented as media personnel to the US Embassy, and only two identified as known media practitioners during embassy verification. Some applicants were reportedly charged amounts ranging from US$7,000 to US$14,000, contrary to the documented institutional cost. The Caucus questioned the use of institutional names and correspondence in dealings with foreign diplomatic missions and the financial arrangements surrounding the process.
The Minority Caucus called for an independent investigation to establish who authorized, prepared, and approved the lists submitted to the missions, how much was collected from applicants, the accounts through which payments were made, and the full utilization of the allocated visa slots. The allegations are yet to be independently verified, and the institutions and persons named have not publicly responded to the specific claims.
The outcome of the investigation remains to be seen, but the Minority Caucus's demands have added to the growing scrutiny of the visa arrangements. Key points to be investigated include the extent of involvement of various entities, the financial transactions surrounding the process, and the potential misuse of institutional names and resources.
Key points
- The Minority Caucus seeks an independent investigation into alleged irregularities in visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- The controversy involves multiple entities, including the NSA, GTA, Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and TRIBE Culture Fest.
- Allegations include the submission of unverifiable personnel lists and irregular financial transactions.
