The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee and Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has accused the government of attempting to use the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to divert attention from what he describes as a broader Ghana Football Association (GFA) scandal.
Mr Assafuah claims the Minority has obtained evidence which, he says, will expose the government’s handling of the matter.
“The government is trying to use EOCO to cover the GFA scandal. The Minority is seized with the evidence and will expose them soon,” he wrote.
His comments come amid controversy over alleged irregularities surrounding Ghana’s arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, particularly the processing of visa applications for persons seeking to attend the tournament.
The Minority has called for the removal of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams and Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Chief Executive Officer Maame Afua Houadjeto pending investigations into the matter.
The demand followed President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to ask the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, to step aside while the police investigate the allegations.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, October 7, Mr Assafuah argued that the decision should pave the way for a broader investigation into all institutions and individuals allegedly connected to the visa arrangements.
According to him, documents in the Minority’s possession point to the involvement of the NSA, GTA, Ministry of Sports and Recreation and private entity TRIBE Culture Fest.
He alleged that some individuals who were neither employees nor affiliates of public institutions were presented to foreign diplomatic missions as representatives or officials of those institutions.
The Minority has also questioned alleged payments ranging from US$7,000 to US$14,000 reportedly demanded from some individuals seeking access to the visa arrangements.
A key concern raised by Mr Assafuah is the alleged use of positions that do not exist within the NSA’s organisational structure.
He said the Fraud Prevention Unit of the United States Embassy identified discrepancies involving four applicants presented as NSA officials and requested documentation to verify their employment.
The individuals were identified as Ralph Egyir Quianoo, described as an Operations Coordinator; Belinda Tsey, listed as a Business Administrator; Francis Frimpong Agyemang, presented as a World Cup Coordinator; and Beryl Joycelyn Baabe Duut, described as a Research and Technology Officer.
Mr Assafuah said checks conducted by the Minority suggested that the positions attributed to the four individuals were not part of the NSA’s organisational structure.
He subsequently questioned who prepared the list, who verified the information and who authorised its submission to the foreign diplomatic missions.
The Minority has also raised concerns about a separate list submitted to the Canadian Embassy. According to the claims presented by Mr Assafuah, the NSA submitted 102 names as staff or affiliates, but only 15 were confirmed as actual employees, leaving questions about the status of the remaining 87.
He said the Canadian authorities subsequently sought clarification on the employment status and travel purposes of persons described as being affiliated with the NSA.
Mr Assafuah insists that asking the NSA Director-General to step aside does not resolve the wider issues raised by the allegations.
He said officials found administratively culpable should face appropriate sanctions, while anyone found to have committed a criminal offence should be prosecuted.
“Dismissal is not prosecution. Removal from office is not accountability for criminal conduct. Where there is evidence of a crime, the appropriate law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities must pursue the matter,” he said.
The Minority is therefore seeking investigations into the roles of the Sports and Recreation Minister, the GTA leadership, NSA officials, TRIBE Culture Fest and any other individuals or institutions whose involvement may emerge.
The NSA had earlier denied allegations surrounding an alleged visa facilitation scheme and indicated that it is cooperating with the police investigation.
Mr Assafuah’s latest allegation concerning EOCO and the GFA adds another layer to the political dispute surrounding the handling of the World Cup visa controversy.
He has not yet publicly disclosed the evidence he says the Minority possesses to support his claim that EOCO is being used to shield the GFA from scrutiny.
By 1960news.com
