About 17 staff recruited into the National Sports Authority (NSA) are to reapply for their positions in line with public service procedures, the Authority has announced following a meeting involving Sports Minister, management and board.

The said staff have worked at NSA for 11 months, the Authority said.

In a statement dated 25 February 2026, the NSA confirmed that “constructive engagements have been held with the Honourable Minister responsible for Sports and Recreation” after days of public scrutiny over the legality of the appointments.

The development comes barely 48 hours after a high-level meeting on 23 February between the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, the NSA Board and Acting Director General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.

Joy Sports revealed that the NSA Board had directed Mr Ankrah to revoke the appointments of 17 staff members recruited without the required clearance from the Public Services Commission and the Ministry of Finance.

Sources indicated that the Board had initially set a 6 February deadline for the revocation following a retreat in Ada, and that this was the second time such a directive had been issued.

While Joy Sports sources suggested the Minister had asked for the revocation of the appointments, officials at the Ministry said that he had formally requested comprehensive employment and employee data from the Director General.

The matter escalated amid claims that some of the roles filled were not part of the NSA’s approved organisational structure, including a reportedly created Chief Operations Officer (COO) position.

There were further allegations that some newly recruited officers were granted authority above existing Deputy Director Generals.

Mr Ankrah had earlier defended the recruitment publicly, arguing that the new staff contributed to Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

However, following Monday’s publication and the subsequent ministerial engagement, the Authority has now shifted its position.

In its latest statement, the NSA said discussions with the Minister were “cordial, open and solution-oriented, with a shared commitment to due process, institutional stability and administrative clarity.”

It acknowledged that the affected officers have “served for over 11 months without salary” and confirmed that “it was agreed that the affected officers… will reapply in accordance with established public service procedures.”

The Authority added that with “a duly constituted Governing Board now in place after 10 months of the new management team taking office, the necessary steps will subsequently be taken to regularise their employment in line with applicable regulations.”

Joy Sports understands that once the appointments are formally revoked, the affected individuals are free to reapply when the NSA officially advertises vacancies.

Recruitment will be merit-based and subject to standard public sector requirements, including clearance from the relevant state institutions.

The controversy has exposed deeper administrative tensions within the Authority.

Sources say Mr Ankrah had initially been reluctant to revoke the appointments, creating friction between management and the Board.

Some longstanding staff members have reportedly felt sidelined, with internal communication described as limited and key operational decisions allegedly handled largely by the newly appointed officers.

The situation also raised questions about payment arrangements. Under Ghana’s public sector regulations, recruitment requires formal clearance, public advertisement of vacancies and interview processes conducted by duly constituted panels. Salaries are processed through the Controller and Accountant-General once approvals are secured.

It remains unclear how the affected recruits were being paid, with claims that payments may not have been issued through official NSA accounts due to the absence of Finance Ministry clearance.

The Authority further assured that it “will enhance operational efficiency and continue to advance strategic partnerships as so far witnessed.”

The statement, signed by Mr Ankrah, concluded that “the NSA remains committed to transparency, continuity of operations and maintaining the trust of its growing network of corporate, diplomatic and development partners.”