Suspended National Sports Authority (NSA) Director‑General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah is under investigation by the BNI over an alleged visa facilitation scheme that targeted individuals wishing to travel to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The probe follows allegations that more than US$600,000 was collected from applicants seeking assistance with visa and travel arrangements, with some charged as much as US$8,000 under the arrangement, according to a Minority in Parliament complaint.
Mr Ankrah and other NSA officials were questioned by security authorities as part of the investigation. The NSA has denied authorising any visa facilitation or money‑collection scheme, and its legal team is cooperating with the inquiry. The development comes after Mr Ankrah was removed from his post as Director‑General, with Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong appointed Acting Director‑General. Prof. Sarpong, an associate professor of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Education, Winneba, takes over the Authority as scrutiny of its operations intensifies.
Mr Ankrah’s removal follows President John Dramani Mahama’s dissolution of the NSA’s governing board on September 2, 2026. He had been a member of the dissolved board but continued to oversee the Authority’s day‑to‑day operations after the board was disbanded.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation proceeds.
