Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has questioned alleged payments of between US$8,000 and US$9,000 made by individuals who sought to travel to the United States under arrangements linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Assafuah said the Minority had obtained documents and records that raise concerns about the administration of the visa process involving the National Sports Authority (NSA), Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ministry of Sports and Recreation, and TRIBE Culture Fest.
According to the Minority, the agreement between the NSA and TRIBE provided for a fee of US$3,000 per person to cover visa processing, accommodation and logistics for travel to the United States, while the corresponding fee for Canada was US$2,000.
However, the Minority alleged that some applicants paid between US$8,000 and US$9,000, prompting questions about the difference between the approved charges and the amounts reportedly collected.
Assafuah called for investigators to establish the financial trail, including how much money was received, who collected the funds, the accounts through which payments were made and the services the payments covered.
The Minority also cited an alleged part-payment of nearly US$20,000 linked to individuals included in the visa arrangements, urging investigators to verify the claims through bank records, payment receipts, telephone communications and other documentary evidence.
The briefing further questioned the list of individuals presented to foreign diplomatic missions as NSA personnel or affiliates, alleging that only 15 of the 102 names submitted to the Canadian Embassy could be verified as actual NSA staff.
The Minority has called for a comprehensive investigation into the visa arrangements, insisting that any official or entity found to have engaged in administrative or criminal misconduct should be held accountable.
