The Minority in Parliament has welcomed President John Mahama’s decision to remove Yaw Ampofo Ankrah as Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), but says his removal must be followed by a comprehensive investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Minority said its earlier call for Mr Ampofo Ankrah to step aside was based on concerns that the allegations required accountability and an independent investigation.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, October 7, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, commended President Mahama for acting on the Minority’s demand.

“We raised that call because we believed that, in the face of the serious questions surrounding the alleged World Cup visa arrangements, there was a need for accountability and for the investigation to proceed without the continued presence of the Director-General at the helm of affairs at the institution,” he said.

Mr Assafuah, however, stressed that the removal of the NSA Director-General should not be treated as the end of the matter.

He said documents and records available to the Minority suggested that the alleged irregularities involved a wider chain of institutional actors, requiring investigations beyond the former NSA Director-General.

The Minority is calling for investigations into the roles of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams, the leadership of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), officials of the National Sports Authority, officials within the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and private entity TRIBE Culture Fest.

The Minority wants the investigation to examine alleged visa-related irregularities and other concerns linked to Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup, including claims that unauthorised visa processing fees were charged to applicants.

It has also raised concerns about the submission of individuals with questionable professional credentials to the United States and Canadian embassies as part of arrangements for the tournament.

The Minority has previously alleged that more than US$600,000 was collected from individuals seeking assistance with visa and travel arrangements, with some applicants allegedly paying as much as US$8,000.