President John Dramani Mahama has asked Yaw Ampofo Ankrah to step aside as Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA).
Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong has been appointed Acting Director-General of the NSA following Mr Ampofo Ankrah’s removal.
Prof. Sarpong, an Associate Professor of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), assumes leadership of the Authority amid scrutiny over the management of Ghana’s sporting facilities and a police investigation into an alleged visa facilitation scheme linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mr Ampofo Ankrah’s removal brings his tenure at the NSA to an end after months of scrutiny over the management and maintenance of the country’s sporting facilities.
The NSA has denied any involvement in the alleged visa facilitation scheme, while its legal team has said the Authority is cooperating with the police investigation.
The development comes less than a month after President Mahama dissolved the NSA’s governing board on September 2, 2026.
Mr Ampofo Ankrah, who was a member of the dissolved board, continued to oversee the Authority’s day-to-day operations after the board was disbanded.
Pressure on his leadership intensified in September after the Minority in Parliament called for his suspension or dismissal over allegations that more than US$600,000 had been collected from individuals seeking assistance with visa and travel arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Minority alleged that some applicants were charged as much as US$8,000.
Mr Ampofo Ankrah and other NSA officials were subsequently reported to have been questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as part of the investigation.
The NSA, however, denied authorising any visa facilitation or money-collection scheme and described the allegations as false.
His removal also comes amid concerns over the condition of major sporting facilities, including the Accra Sports Stadium and Baba Yara Sports Stadium, which have faced scrutiny over their suitability to host major sporting events.
Prof. Sarpong now assumes responsibility for the NSA at a time of heightened attention on the management and maintenance of Ghana’s sports infrastructure and the administration of the Authority.
Credit: Citinewsroom.com
