A fresh political controversy has erupted over the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the Minority in Parliament raised allegations involving individuals it claims were connected to the security detail of First Lady Lordina Mahama, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in an alleged visa facilitation scheme.
The allegations were raised by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Youth and Sports, during an interview on Asempa FM, where he reportedly said he had reviewed documents relating to the World Cup visa arrangements.
According to information attributed to the MP, one of the individuals allegedly implicated was Isaac Botwe, identified as a security officer attached to First Lady Lordina Mahama. Ekow Assafuah also reportedly mentioned the driver of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Iddie Adams and a special assistant to the former NSA Director-General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, among individuals alleged to have accepted money from people seeking assistance with visa arrangements.
These allegations have intensified calls for a comprehensive investigation into the management of visa opportunities connected to the World Cup-related activities.
Minority raises questions over alleged payments
The controversy centres on claims that individuals seeking to travel to the United States and Canada for activities associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup paid money in the expectation of receiving assistance with visa applications, travel arrangements and related logistics.
The Minority has previously alleged that over $620,000 was collected from prospective travellers, with some applicants reportedly paying thousands of dollars. The Caucus has questioned who received the payments, whether the money was transferred to the appropriate institutions and whether applicants received the services for which they allegedly paid.
The allegations have also placed the relationship between public institutions and private event organisers under scrutiny, particularly the reported involvement of TRIBE Culture Fest in World Cup-related activations and travel arrangements.
The Minority argues that the investigation should not be limited to one individual or institution. It wants investigators to establish who compiled the lists of applicants, who approved the names and official designations submitted to foreign diplomatic missions, and whether all payments were properly accounted for.
Questions over Ghana Tourism Authority’s visa arrangements
The Ghana Tourism Authority has also come under pressure following separate allegations concerning payments and the expansion of a list of people reportedly seeking access to World Cup-related visa arrangements.
According to allegations attributed to the President of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF), the federation was initially allocated four places, which were subsequently increased to 20. Members were reportedly asked to pay GH¢2,000 each towards visa arrangements involving GTA Chief Executive Officer Maame Efua Houadjeto.
The federation’s president claimed that some members later discovered at the embassy that their visa fees had not been paid. The allegations further contend that the money had neither been remitted to the embassy nor refunded to the affected individuals.
A second concern relates to the alleged expansion of a list from 20 names submitted by the federation to 50 names, including 30 additional individuals reportedly listed under the name “Ahwele Dancing Group.” The complainant questioned the identities of the additional beneficiaries and the authority under which their names were included.
These claims have raised questions about financial accountability and the criteria used to allocate opportunities associated with the World Cup tourism campaign.
Regional directors demand answers
The controversy has also revived attention on a reported petition by 14 regional directors of the Ghana Tourism Authority in July 2026, in which they sought information about the allocation of World Cup-related opportunities and the use of sponsorship proceeds.
Documents supplied in connection with the controversy indicate that the regional directors requested records on the FIFA World Cup Destination Marketing Initiative and the World Cup Activation Programme.
Among the information sought were details of the reported 400 visa slots made available to the GTA by the United States Embassy, the basis for their allocation and a breakdown of how the slots were distributed among ministries, departments, agencies, public and private institutions and other organisations.
The directors also requested documents relating to collaboration between the GTA, TRIBE, the United States Embassy, the NSA and other participating institutions. They sought copies of memoranda of understanding, partnership agreements, approvals, procurement records and information clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each organisation.
The petition, as described in the supplied material, demonstrates that questions about the administration of the World Cup programme had emerged within the GTA itself. It does not, on its own, prove that fraud occurred, but it adds to calls for the relevant records to be made available for scrutiny.
Kofi Adams rejects allegations against Ministry
Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has also faced questions over the alleged visa arrangements. However, his aide, Wonder Sitsofe Mandel, has rejected claims that the minister or the Ministry was involved in illegal visa facilitation or financial misconduct.
Mandel has argued that the Minority’s allegations do not provide evidence establishing that Adams personally received money, engaged in illegal visa processing or benefited financially from the arrangements.
He has maintained that the Ministry did not have a direct commercial or operational agreement with TRIBE Culture Fest and that the minister’s handling of correspondence should not be interpreted as approval of visas or a guarantee that the individuals listed would be granted entry into the United States.
According to the Ministry’s explanation, correspondence concerning the proposed travel arrangements was referred through the appropriate administrative channels for consideration and due diligence. Mandel has stressed that forwarding a request for further assessment does not mean the minister authorised illegal activity.
The aide has also challenged aspects of the Minority’s account of the correspondence, including the dates and the number of individuals said to have been involved. He has indicated that allegations of document tampering should be referred to the appropriate authorities if evidence emerges to support them.
The minister’s denial is central to the dispute, as the Minority continues to demand accountability from public officials and institutions connected to the World Cup arrangements.
NSA controversy and Ampofo Ankrah’s removal
The latest allegations follow an earlier controversy involving the National Sports Authority and its former Director-General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.
The NSA’s handling of World Cup-related travel arrangements came under scrutiny after allegations emerged that prospective travellers had paid substantial sums for assistance with visas. The controversy triggered demands for investigations into the role of public officials and private partners involved in the programme.
Ampofo Ankrah was subsequently removed from his position, while the NSA has denied authorising its personnel to collect money or operate a visa facilitation scheme on behalf of the Authority.
The Minority has nevertheless argued that the removal of the former director-general should not bring the investigation to an end. It wants the relevant authorities to examine the documentary trail, identify everyone who played a role in preparing or approving applications, and establish whether money was collected improperly.
Calls for a full investigation
The Minority are demanding a broader examination of the arrangements, including the roles of the NSA, GTA, Ministry of Sports and Recreation, TRIBE Culture Fest and any individuals whose conduct may emerge from the investigation.
The Caucus wants investigators to trace payments, examine bank transactions and correspondence, verify the identities and employment status of applicants, and determine whether public institutions were used to support representations made to foreign diplomatic missions.
It is also calling for explanations over the allocation of visa opportunities and the alleged inclusion of individuals whose official roles or institutional affiliations have been questioned.
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