Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah has cautioned Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams against shifting responsibility to the Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over the controversy surrounding Ghana’s visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mr Assafuah argued that the Sports Ministry should have verified the identities, employment status and official positions of the individuals whose details were submitted to facilitate their visa applications.
The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee said the Foreign Affairs Minister could not be expected to independently verify every detail provided by the Sports Ministry.
“He is dazed, and he has been exposed from day one. He is now trying to shift responsibility to Okudzeto Ablakwa,” Mr Assafuah said.
He maintained that the ministry responsible for compiling and submitting the list had a duty to ensure that the information provided about the applicants was accurate before forwarding it to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
“Ablakwa would not have known whether all the people listed and the portfolios attributed to them were genuine. The Sports Ministry should have done the necessary due diligence before submitting the list,” he said.
The comments come amid growing scrutiny of Ghana’s arrangements for the 2026 World Cup, following concerns over the identities and professional positions attributed to some applicants seeking visa assistance.
Mr Assafuah has alleged that some applicants who were not employees of the National Sports Authority (NSA) or the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) were presented to foreign diplomatic missions as staff of those institutions.
He has also alleged that some individuals paid between US$8,000 and US$9,000 to secure visa and travel assistance under the arrangement. These claims remain subject to investigation.
However, Mr Assafuah insists that accountability should extend beyond the suspended official, with the roles of the Sports Ministry and other institutions involved in the process also examined.
