OSP opens investigations into NSA World Cup visa scandal

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has opened investigations into suspected corruption involving some officials of the National Sports Authority (NSA) and alleged financial irregularities surrounding Ghana's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The investigations cover allegations of abuse of public office, irregularities in the selection of sponsorship beneficiaries, visa facilitation arrangements and the collection and management of money from prospective travellers.

In a statement, the OSP said it had received petitions alleging corruption and corruption-related offences in the award of contracts by the NSA to various service providers.

It is also examining claims that some individuals who won competitions organised under World Cup sponsorship initiatives were excluded from the final lists of beneficiaries submitted to foreign diplomatic missions.

The investigation will seek to establish how beneficiaries were selected, who authorised the allocation of travel opportunities and whether public officials or private individuals improperly benefited from the arrangements.

The latest development adds another layer to a controversy that has already triggered a police investigation, a presidential inquiry and the suspension of former NSA Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.

JoySports' investigations, published on MyJoyOnline on September 14, 2026, first exposed allegations that more than $623,000 had been collected from prospective travellers seeking assistance to obtain visas for the tournament in the United States and Canada.

The investigation tracked about nine victims who said they had paid between $4,000 and $25,000 for visa assistance through individuals connected to the NSA.

Information gathered by JoySports suggested over 170 people paid money to a chain of NSA officials for visa assistance to the USA. 46 were denied. 34 never got an appointment date. 50 were not processed at all.

Of these, approximately 37 secured visas. All applicants seeking Canadian visas were unsuccessful.

The investigation implicated Mr Ankrah and the NSA's former Chief Operations Officer, Yaw Gyamfi Kusi Awere, alongside Nana Boateng Gyimah, Chief Executive Officer of TRIBE Culture Fest.

A petition submitted to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service by Mr Awere alleged that Mr Ankrah received $56,000 in commission from money collected from prospective travellers.

Mr Gyimah was also accused of receiving $511,000.

Mr Awere, who acknowledged the allegations to JoySports, said he had been involved in collecting money from applicants and that the funds were subsequently shared among individuals connected to the arrangement.

Mr Ankrah, however, has denied wrongdoing, insisting that he neither collected money from prospective travellers nor participated in any arrangement to facilitate visas.

The controversy took another turn in October when JoySports reported that $26,000 had been paid to the police on behalf of Mr Ankrah.

The payment, reported on October 20, was made by a friend of the suspended NSA boss, with his approval and that of his lawyers.

Sources familiar with the transaction told JoySports that the amount formed part of the $56,000 Mr Awere alleged Mr Ankrah had received as commission from proceeds linked to the visa arrangements.

The individual who made the payment had reportedly undertaken to settle the outstanding balance.

The payment followed Mr Awere's petition to the police seeking assistance to recover the alleged commission and facilitate refunds to prospective travellers who had paid for visa assistance but were unsuccessful.

When contacted by JoySports on October 15 for a response to the reported payment, Mr Ankrah did not respond.

He has maintained that although he exchanged money with Mr Awere over the years, he was unaware that any of the funds represented commissions from prospective travellers.

He has also challenged anyone to produce evidence that he collected money to facilitate visas.

On October 1, President John Dramani Mahama suspended Mr Ankrah as Director-General of the NSA pending investigations by the CID.

The decision followed a report submitted to the Presidency by Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams after allegations of financial impropriety emerged.

Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong was subsequently appointed Acting Director-General of the Authority.

The suspension came after JoySports published details of the alleged visa arrangements, including claims that an office at the Accra Sports Stadium had been used by individuals connected to the operation.

The NSA has denied authorising visa facilitation activities or permitting its premises to be used for collecting money from prospective travellers.

The Minority in Parliament has also questioned the roles of the NSA, Ghana Tourism Authority, Ministry of Sports and Recreation and TRIBE Culture Fest in the arrangements.

Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Ranking Member of Parliament's Youth and Sports Committee, has raised concerns about discrepancies in lists submitted to foreign diplomatic missions.

He alleged that only 15 of 102 individuals presented as NSA personnel could be verified as employees of the Authority.

The Minority has called for a broader independent investigation into the institutions and individuals involved.

President Mahama has also established a committee chaired by Professor Francis Dodoo to examine the allegations.

The OSP's intervention means the controversy will now face scrutiny beyond the police investigation into the alleged collection of money for visa assistance.

The inclusion of NSA procurement contracts introduces a separate area of inquiry into how the Authority awarded contracts and whether public officials or private entities benefited improperly.

The OSP says it will provide further information on the investigations in accordance with its disclosure policy.

It has cautioned that the commencement of investigations does not establish wrongdoing and that all individuals and institutions concerned remain presumed innocent until proven guilty.