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Ghana’s Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Iddie Adams, has rejected calls for his dismissal and prosecution over alleged irregularities in visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that he only became aware of the process in May 2026.
The minister’s response follows demands by the parliamentary Minority for his removal and a wider investigation into arrangements involving the National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and private event company TRIBE Culture Fest.
The controversy intensified following the suspension of NSA Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah amid allegations surrounding visa facilitation for prospective World Cup travellers. The allegations remain subject to investigation, and claims of wrongdoing should not be treated as established findings.
Minister says he was unaware until May
Mr Adams said the NSA, GTA, United States Embassy and TRIBE Culture Fest had handled the arrangements without informing his ministry about the details of the process.
Speaking to Citi News, he argued that the ministry would have been aware of the arrangements if the organisations involved had formally notified it or included it in their correspondence.
He identified a letter dated May 19, 2026, requesting that the ministry forward the names of event coordinators and volunteers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy as the first document that brought the matter to his attention.
According to the minister, the letter was forwarded to the ministry’s Chief Director, who serves on the technical committee overseeing the arrangements.
Mr Adams said the committee agreed that the names of individuals expected to perform specific duties at the World Cup should be submitted through the appropriate channels to allow the necessary preparatory processes to begin.
He maintained that his role was limited to forwarding the request through administrative channels and denied knowledge of the alleged financial transactions.
“Government money has not been lost,” he said.
Minority questions minister’s account
The Minority in Parliament has challenged the minister’s position and called for his dismissal and prosecution, arguing that responsibility for the alleged irregularities may extend beyond the suspended NSA director-general.
Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Sports and Recreation Committee, alleged that some people who were not employees of the Sports Ministry had been presented as ministry staff to facilitate visa applications.
He also questioned the role of the Ghana Tourism Authority’s chief executive and called for a broader investigation into the institutions and individuals connected to the arrangements.
The Minority’s concerns include the preparation and transmission of lists of prospective travellers, questions about applicants’ employment status and allegations surrounding payments collected from people seeking assistance with travel arrangements.
The allegations have prompted calls for investigators to establish who compiled and authorised the lists, what representations were made to foreign diplomatic missions and whether any laws or official procedures were breached.
Dispute over when the ministry knew
The dispute has become more complicated following a further allegation by Mr Assafuah.
On October 12, he said correspondence from the US Embassy indicated that the ministry had been aware of TRIBE Culture Fest’s involvement earlier than the minister suggested.
Mr Assafuah referred to an embassy email referencing discussions at a FIFA World Cup stakeholder meeting held on October 22, 2025, arguing that the correspondence raised questions about when the ministry and other stakeholders first became aware of the arrangements.
The claim conflicts with Mr Adams’ account that the May 19, 2026 letter was the first time he became aware of the details.
The existence and significance of the correspondence, and what it establishes about the minister’s personal knowledge or involvement, must be assessed against the full documentary record. The Minority’s interpretation of the email is an allegation, not by itself proof that the minister knowingly participated in any irregularity.
Police investigation and calls for accountability
The visa controversy has already led to the suspension of Yaw Ampofo Ankrah and an investigation by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.
The inquiry is expected to examine the arrangements and the roles of the institutions and individuals involved. The ministry has said it is prepared to cooperate with investigators and has rejected claims that the minister or the ministry has been shown to have engaged in illegal visa facilitation or financial misconduct.
The controversy has also renewed concerns about people who may have paid money to intermediaries after being promised assistance with World Cup travel.
Authorities have previously warned that no one should assume that payment to an individual or private company guarantees a visa. Visa decisions remain the responsibility of the relevant diplomatic authorities.
As calls for accountability grow, the central questions remain who authorised the arrangements, whether applicants were accurately represented and whether any money was collected unlawfully.
The outcome of the investigation is likely to be important in determining responsibility and restoring public confidence in the institutions involved in Ghana’s World Cup travel preparations.
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