Former Deputy Sports Minister Pius Enam Hadzide says signed letters and admissions of payment provide grounds for the NPP’s criticism of Sports Minister Kofi Adams and the suspended National Sports Authority boss, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, he said the party’s position on the 2026 World Cup visa controversy was grounded in evidence.

“You are having people confessing that they paid money.”

According to Mr Hadzide, the correspondence routed through government institutions also required scrutiny.

“Letters were written and transmitted through the Ministry of Sports and Recreation through the Foreign Affairs Ministry to the embassy, which letters our journalists now have.”

He argued that these documents provided a basis for demanding answers from the officials involved.

“So you see that if somebody is being blamed, either the minister or the NSA, here's a basis for that blame.”

The former Deputy Minister also questioned the administrative arrangements at the NSA.

“But we must be clear as to who was responsible for what in this case, and a secretariat has been established at the National Sports Authority (NSA). An appointment alien to the organogram has been made.”

The controversy emerged publicly after the World Cup. JoySports reported allegations that more than $623,000 was collected from prospective travellers for visa assistance. Some applicants said they received neither visas nor interview appointments.

The NSA’s Chief Operations Officer, Nana Gyamfi Awere, admitted receiving money from applicants and filed a petition alleging payments to other individuals.

Mr Ankrah was suspended on October 1 pending investigations. His lawyer has denied that he received money to facilitate visas. The Sports Ministry also denies involvement in wrongdoing.

It says it forwarded an NSA request through established channels and that no public evidence shows Adams collected money or received commissions.

Mr Hadzide contrasted the current allegations with the 2018 Australian visa controversy, which led to his suspension under President Akufo-Addo.

That case involved Ghanaians allegedly posing as journalists to enter Australia for the Commonwealth Games. Akufo-Addo subsequently announced Hadzide’s exoneration and reinstated him in July 2018.

“Unfortunately, in my own case, I didn't find the basis, but I carried the cross.”

He questioned why no one had come forward to identify who they had paid to travel to Australia.

“We are yet to get [such person].”

Mr Hadzide called for a reassessment of that episode.

“So for me, there should be clarity now on the 2018 so-called Australia visa scandal”.