By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
A petition has been filed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, calling for an investigation into alleged payments of about US$623,000 received from Ghanaians seeking assistance to obtain visas to attend the FIFA World Cup.
According to the petition, the monies were allegedly collected from several individuals by persons associated with the National Sports Authority (NSA) under an arrangement purportedly aimed at facilitating visa applications for Ghanaians interested in travelling to the tournament.
The petition alleges that the NSA established an office at the stadium specifically to handle the visa facilitation process for prospective travellers.
The matter has now been brought before the police, with the petitioner asking the CID to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collection of the funds and, where appropriate, assist in retrieving monies allegedly paid by the affected individuals.
The petition was filed on September 8, 2026, and names several individuals in connection with the allegations.
NSA Director-General denies knowledge
The Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has also been cited in the petition.
However, when contacted for his response, Mr. Ampofo Ankrah denied knowledge of the alleged visa facilitation arrangement and said he was unaware of the petition filed against him.
His denial comes as the police begin taking steps to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
Police begin inviting persons cited
Sources indicate that the CID began inviting some of the individuals cited in the petition on September 14, 2026, as part of preliminary investigations into the matter.
The police are expected to examine the alleged payments, the individuals who received them, the purpose for which the funds were collected, and whether any official arrangement existed between the NSA and the persons involved.
Petition filed by NSA Chief Operations Officer
One of the notable aspects of the case is the identity of the person who filed the petition.
The petition was reportedly filed by the Chief Operations Officer of the National Sports Authority, raising further questions about the circumstances surrounding the alleged visa facilitation exercise and the involvement of officials within the Authority.
The allegations have not yet been proven, and the investigation by the Ghana Police Service is expected to establish whether any wrongdoing occurred and identify those responsible, if any.
The development comes amid growing interest among Ghanaians in travelling to international football tournaments and raises questions about the procedures used by public institutions when facilitating travel-related arrangements for citizens.
The CID investigation is expected to shed more light on the alleged US$623,000 collected, the number of people who allegedly made payments, and whether the funds were used for their stated purpose.
