The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate dismissal of Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Mrs. Maame Efua Huadjeto, arguing that questions surrounding their institutions’ roles in an alleged World Cup visa facilitation scheme make their continued stay in office untenable.
The caucus maintains that no public official should be shielded from scrutiny and has called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
The demand comes in the wake of the dismissal of former National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, which the Minority described as only the first step toward accountability.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the Ranking Member on the Sports Committee and MP for Old Tafo, Ekow Vincent Essafuah said documents and correspondence in its possession suggest that the alleged scheme extended beyond the NSA and involved multiple institutions, including the Ghana Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and private events organisation TRIBE Culture Fest.
The Minority alleges that public institutions may have been used in the processing and facilitation of visa applications linked to activities surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While the allegations have not been independently verified, the Minority argues that the issues raised warrant a full-scale investigation by the relevant state authorities.
Central to the controversy are agreements reportedly entered into between the NSA, the GTA and TRIBE Culture Fest.
The Minority references a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the NSA and TRIBE Culture Fest in June 2025, under which the two entities were to collaborate on World Cup-related initiatives and sports development programmes.
The agreement is also said to have granted TRIBE operational access to NSA facilities for approved activities.
According to the Minority, TRIBE also entered into arrangements with the GTA relating to travel, visa facilitation and accommodation support for World Cup-related engagements in the United States and Canada.
The caucus is demanding details of the contractual arrangements, expenditure approvals and the nature of services rendered under those agreements.
The Minority further claims that concerns were raised by the United States Embassy and the Canadian Embassy regarding the status and employment records of some applicants who were presented as personnel, affiliates or representatives of state institutions.
The caucus further alleges that diplomatic officials sought clarification and supporting documentation regarding the identities and institutional roles of certain applicants.
It also alleges that some individuals were presented to foreign missions as holders of positions within the NSA that either did not exist within the Authority’s organisational structure or were not occupied by the persons named.
The Minorit contends that such issues require verification through employment records and institutional documentation.
The caucus additionally claims that some applicants may have paid substantial sums of money in connection with the visa arrangements and is calling for investigators to trace any financial transactions associated with the programme.
A major feature of the Minority’s claim is its insistence that the investigation should not focus solely on the former NSA Director-General.
The caucus argues that questions remain regarding decisions made by officials within the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Ghana Tourism Authority.
Specifically, the Minority is demanding answers on who authorised institutional partnerships, who approved applicant lists submitted to foreign diplomatic missions, and what oversight mechanisms were employed throughout the process. It also wants investigators to examine the roles played by officials within the NSA, the GTA and the Ministry in relation to visa facilitation activities connected with World Cup engagements.
The caucus says the matter should be investigated through an examination of official correspondence, financial records, travel documentation and immigration data.
According to the Minority, investigators should determine whether public institutions were used appropriately and whether all applicants processed under the arrangements met the necessary eligibility requirements.
“The President has taken the first step,” noted the Minority, referring to the removal of the former NSA Director-General.
However, it argued that accountability should extend to all individuals whose conduct is ultimately implicated by any evidence uncovered during investigations.
The caucus further maintained that if administrative wrongdoing is established, appropriate sanctions should follow, while any evidence of criminal conduct should be dealt with by law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities.
