The Minority in Parliament is demanding an independent Commission of Inquiry into the alleged World Cup visa scandal, rejecting a presidential committee already examining the controversy and calling for public hearings into how money was collected from prospective travellers.
Ranking Member on Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said the allegations are too serious to be handled through what he described as an opaque internal process.
The controversy centres on claims that more than US$600,000 was collected from people seeking visa and travel assistance for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with some applicants allegedly paying between US$7,000 and US$14,000.
The Criminal Investigations Department is investigating the allegations. National Sports Authority Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah was also suspended pending the outcome of investigations, with the Presidency stressing that the administrative action did not amount to a finding of wrongdoing.
Assafuah rejects presidential committee
Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Thursday, November 5, Assafuah disclosed that he had declined an invitation to appear before a presidential committee investigating the matter.
He said the committee’s membership, terms of reference and proceedings had not been made sufficiently public.
“I have respectfully boycotted that invitation. I did so on principle.
"The President cannot be seen to be investigating his own ministers. You cannot be a judge in your own cause.” - Assafuah
Assafuah said he had petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor and President John Dramani Mahama for an independent inquiry.
“What Ghana needs is not a secret in-house cover-up committee.
"What Ghana needs is a public, transparent, independent Commission of Inquiry with powers to subpoena, to publish evidence and to hold persons accountable openly.” - Assafuah
Minority alleges organised scheme
The Minority says what was promoted as an opportunity to help Ghanaian supporters attend the tournament requires deeper scrutiny over its financing and visa arrangements.
Assafuah described the World Cup Bonanza as a “well-orchestrated scheme” which, in the Minority’s view, was used to extract money from Ghanaians under the promise of travel support.
Previous investigations have reported claims from applicants who said they paid thousands of dollars for visa facilitation but were unsuccessful.
The Sports Ministry has denied involvement in collecting money in exchange for visa approvals and says it is cooperating with investigators.
The Minority wants investigators to establish how much money was collected, which individuals or organisations received payments and why some applicants failed to travel.
Kofi Adams rejects allegations
Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has rejected the Minority’s accusations and insists funds connected to a separate World Cup raffle remain intact.
He said five of 31 winners under one of the sponsorship arrangements secured United States visas and travelled for the tournament.
“Five were successful, they got their visas and travelled to the United States of America and are all back,” Adams said.
He said winners who could not travel would either receive financial compensation or have the option of attending a future competition.
“Every pesewa of the raffle that was run has not been touched. That money has not been touched,” he said, adding that the fundraising committee was holding the money to ensure affected winners were compensated.
Adams also dismissed allegations raised by the Minority about irregularities in the raffle arrangements, describing some of the claims as false.
The competing accounts now leave the CID investigation, petitions to anti-corruption institutions and calls for a public inquiry running alongside each other.
For the Minority, the suspension of the NSA Director-General is not enough. It wants a process capable of compelling testimony and documents in public.
Government officials, meanwhile, maintain that no conclusion of wrongdoing should be drawn before the investigations are completed.
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