Minority calls for Yaw Ampofo Ankrah to step aside over alleged World Cup visa scheme

The Minority in Parliament has intensified calls for action against National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah over an alleged visa facilitation arrangement connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Minority is demanding that President John Dramani Mahama either dismiss Ampofo Ankrah or direct him to step aside while investigations into the matter continue.

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, told journalists that the NSA Director-General and some staff had been reporting to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for questioning over an arrangement said to have generated about US$600,000.

The caucus alleges that the arrangement involved a private entity operating with support from the NSA, with some individuals reportedly charged up to US$8,000 for assistance with World Cup travel arrangements.

Assafuah said the allegations required immediate action.

“We therefore call on the President to dismiss the Director-General of the National Sports Authority with immediate effect, or, at the very least, require him to step aside pending the conclusion of the investigation,” he said.

The NSA has denied authorising any visa facilitation or money collection arrangement and has pledged to cooperate with any lawful police investigation.