Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams has rejected demands for his removal and prosecution over alleged irregularities in visa arrangements for supporters and officials ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Buem MP said his ministry was not informed about the process until May, despite claims by Ghana’s parliamentary Minority that officials helped people who were not ministry employees apply for visas.
The controversy intensified after National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah was suspended. The Minority has also called for the dismissal and prosecution of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Chief Executive Officer over alleged involvement in the arrangements.
At a press conference in Parliament on Wednesday, 7 October, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Sports Committee Vincent Ekow Assafuah alleged that some officials had facilitated visa applications for individuals who did not work for the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
Mr Assafuah further claimed that a cover letter had been prepared to portray outsiders as ministry employees in support of their visa applications.
Mr Adams denied having prior knowledge of the arrangements, saying they had been handled by the NSA, GTA, United States Embassy and TRIBE Culture Fest without the ministry’s involvement.
“Well, I don’t see the justification. Both the American Embassy and TRIBE Culture Fest, the NSA and the GTA were doing their thing behind the Ministry. The Ministry didn’t know,” he told Citi News.
The minister said the ministry would have been aware of the process if the organisations involved had formally presented their plans, included the ministry in correspondence or copied it into their communications.
He identified a letter dated 19 May as the first document that brought the matter to his attention. The letter asked the ministry to forward the names of event coordinators and volunteers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy.
“The first time I ever sat and had a conversation in relation to that matter was when the May 19 letter requested the forwarding of event coordinators and volunteers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy. That’s when I got to know the details of what was happening,” he said.
Mr Adams said the letter was sent to the ministry’s Chief Director, who is a member of the technical committee responsible for overseeing the arrangements.
According to the minister, the committee had agreed that the names of people due to carry out specific duties at the World Cup should be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy so that the necessary preparatory work could begin.
He said his own role was confined to forwarding the letter through the proper administrative channels. Mr Adams also denied knowledge of the alleged financial transactions linked to the visa arrangements.
“Government money has not been lost,” he said.
