The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to join investigations into alleged irregularities surrounding visa facilitation arrangements linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the party, the involvement of the two institutions is necessary to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged collection of more than US$600,000 from prospective travellers and determine whether public officers abused their positions.
At a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 15, 2026, the NPP’s National Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, said the investigation should extend beyond the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to cover all individuals and institutions implicated in the controversy.
The allegations involve the National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and a private entity, TRIBE Culture Fest.
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The NPP’s demands follow concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament, which presented documents it said showed that names, official letterheads and institutional credentials were allegedly used to facilitate visa applications for individuals presented as public officers.
According to the opposition party, a supplementary arrangement between the NSA and TRIBE Culture Fest set visa-processing charges at US$3,000 per person for the United States and US$2,000 for Canada.
However, the party cited reports that some applicants allegedly paid between US$8,000 and US$14,000 each, raising questions about the handling of payments and the difference between the contracted charges and amounts reportedly collected.
Miracles Aboagye said the reported total of more than US$600,000 must be traced and accounted for, including the identification of recipients and intermediaries.
Mr Aboagye questioned the adequacy of the government’s response and called for a transparent investigation that would not shield any person because of their position.
“The removal of one Director-General is not accountability,” he said, arguing that action against the former NSA Director-General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, should not bring the matter to an end.
The party has demanded that Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Iddie Adams and the Chief Executive Officer of the GTA step aside pending investigations into their institutions’ alleged roles.
It has also called on Parliament to summon the minister and the GTA chief executive to answer questions, while urging the Youth and Sports Committee to conduct a public inquiry.
The NPP demands the government to publish agreements involving the NSA, GTA and TRIBE Culture Fest, alongside the lists of applicants submitted to the US and Canadian embassies and relevant correspondence.
It called for a clear timetable for the investigation and measures to protect applicants who paid money under the arrangements, including the refund of any funds recovered.
The party also questioned whether the government had adequately engaged the US and Canadian missions to address potential damage to Ghana’s international reputation.
The Sports Ministry has denied involvement in the alleged irregularities, maintaining that forwarding a list of prospective applicants did not amount to endorsing their eligibility or guaranteeing visa approval. It has called for the facts to be established through investigation.
The NPP, however, insists that the probe must establish who compiled the applicant lists, what due diligence was conducted, and whether any public officials facilitated misrepresentation to foreign diplomatic missions.
Miracles Aboagye argued that the controversy has put Ghana’s international reputation at risk, warning that alleged misrepresentation involving public institutions could create additional difficulties for ordinary Ghanaians seeking visas.
He questioned the government’s commitment to accountability, particularly in light of its pledge to reset the country’s governance system and pursue the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative.
The party demanded clarification from the Presidency over conflicting accounts of whether Ampofo Ankrah had been dismissed or suspended pending investigations.
The NPP raised fresh allegations concerning World Cup match tickets purchased with public funds, promising to release further details about their distribution and alleged resale.
The party insists that the investigation must extend to every person implicated by the evidence, regardless of position.
The party vowed it will continue to press for answers in Parliament and through public engagement until the investigations establish the facts and any persons found culpable are held accountable.