Ghana’s Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Adams, has rejected calls for his dismissal over alleged irregularities in visa arrangements during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that his ministry was not informed of the process until May.
The Buem MP’s response follows demands by the parliamentary Minority for his removal and prosecution over allegations that people who were not Ministry of Sports and Recreation employees were presented as ministry staff to facilitate visa applications.
The controversy has intensified following the suspension of National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, as questions continue to emerge about the arrangements involving officials and supporters travelling for the tournament.
Speaking to Citi News, Mr Adams denied that his ministry had been involved in the process from the outset, saying the National Sports Authority, Ghana Tourism Authority, US Embassy and TRIBE Culture Fest had handled the arrangements without informing his office.
“Well, I don’t see the justification. Both the American Embassy and TRIBE Culture Fest, the NSA and the GTA were doing their thing behind the Ministry. The Ministry didn’t know,” he said.
The minister said he first became aware of the arrangements when a letter dated 19 May requested that the ministry forward the names of event coordinators and volunteers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy.
“The first time I ever sat and had a conversation in relation to that matter was when the May 19 letter requested the forwarding of event coordinators and volunteers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy. That’s when I got to know the details of what was happening,” Mr Adams added.
He explained that the letter was referred to the ministry’s Chief Director, who sits on the technical committee overseeing the arrangements.
According to Mr Adams, the committee agreed that the names of individuals expected to perform specific duties at the World Cup should be submitted to the relevant authorities to allow preparatory processes to begin.
He maintained that his role was limited to forwarding the correspondence through the appropriate administrative channels and denied having knowledge of the alleged financial transactions.
“Government money has not been lost,” he said.
The Minority’s allegations were raised in Parliament on Wednesday, 7 October, by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Sports Committee.
Mr Assafuah alleged that some officials had facilitated visa applications for people who were not employed by the sports ministry, claiming that a cover letter had been prepared to present outsiders as ministry staff.
The Minority has called for Mr Adams to be dismissed and prosecuted, while also demanding the removal and prosecution of the Ghana Tourism Authority’s chief executive over alleged involvement in the arrangements.
Mr Adams’s denial centres on when his ministry became aware of the process and the extent of its involvement. The allegations against the officials concerned have not been established by the information provided, and the minister’s response does not, on its own, resolve the questions surrounding the visa arrangements.
About the Author
