Another World Cup scandal has hit the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) following the embarrassing episode in the 2014 football World Cup in Brazil.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup scandal under the first term of President John Dramani Mahama involved major financial malfeasance and organisational and disciplinary breakdown in Black Stars’ camp in Brazil.
Following the tournament, President Mahama set up a three-member Presidential Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Senyo Dzamefe to probe the disaster, which exposed widespread mismanagement and kickback allegations, and ordered refunds from various sports officials.
This time, a major visa racketeering scandal emerged from Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The scandal centers on allegations that officials of the National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) collected about $623,000 from Ghanaians under the pretext of securing US and Canadian visas for the World Cup.
This has already led to President Mahama suspending the Director-General of the NSA, Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, pending investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Ghost workers, inflated fees
The Ranking Member on the Youth and Sports Committee of Parliament, Mr. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, who doubles as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, disclosed that the NSA wrote to the US and Canadian embassies presenting 102 names as NSA staff who needed visas for World Cup duties.
However, after cross-checking with NSA HR and payroll, the Minority Caucus noted that only 15 were verified as genuine staff.
The remaining 87 could not be verified, with some holding portfolios that do not exist in the NSA organogram.
For example, Mr. Assafuah cited Comfort Ahiadome, who was presented as Board Secretary of NSA in a letter dated January 28, 2026, when NSA had no Board Secretary; Felicia Ahiadome, presented as Procurement Officer, but not listed as such; and Fuseini Lukman, presented as Northern Region Coordinator.
Inflated visa fees
The Minority further alleged that while the official agreement between NSA and its partner, TRIBE Culture Fest, a FIFA-licenced fan experience partner, was $3,000 per person for US and $2,000 for Canada, applicants were charged between $8,000 and $9,000, with some paying up to $14,000 and even $20,000 in some cases.
Minority demands dismissals
The Minority is demanding the immediate dismissal and prosecution of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams, NSA Boss and the GTA CEO, Maame Efua Houadjeto.
Incidentally, Deputy National Director of Elections and IT for the NDC, Rashid Tanko-Computer, has also called for a wider probe.
“We are calling for an expansion of the investigation. Let’s not limit it to the NSA. We are expanding it beyond that. We’ve called for the head of the ministry, we’ve called for the head of the Ghana Tourism Authority,” he said on Metro TV.
Rashid Computer described the scandal as a national embarrassment.
Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing, with the Ministry urging affected applicants to submit receipts, bank statements and MoMo records to the CID.
GTA CEO, Sports Ministry, NSA deny allegations
The CEO of GTA, Maame Efua Houadjeto, has denied any personal involvement.
“As the CEO of the GTA, I firmly deny any personal involvement in the sale of visas or the collection of money from applicants in exchange for visa opportunities. I never solicited or received payments for visas,” she denied in a statement issued on Friday, October 9, 2026.
Madam Houadjeto said GTA’s role was limited to promoting Ghana’s tourism, culture, music, and creative arts during the World Cup and to seeking guidance from the US Embassy and Canadian High Commission on visa requirements.
She stressed GTA had no power to issue visas or guarantee approvals.
The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has also denied wrongdoing, saying it only forwarded an NSA request dated May 19, 2026, for 90 volunteers and event coordinators, and that the US Embassy retained full authority to approve or refuse visas.
In a statement, the NSA also said it “categorically denies establishing, authorising or operating any office at the stadium for the collection of money or facilitation of visas.”
By Kyei Boateng
