Ghanaian MP Hon. Vincent Ekow Assafuah has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate alleged corruption, abuse of public power, conflicts of interest and administrative failures linked to visa opportunities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The petition, submitted under articles 218(a) and 218(e) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution and section 7(1)(a), (e) and (f) of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice Act, 1993 (Act 456), names the National Sports Authority (NSA), Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
It also refers to TRIBE Culture Fest, the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) and other individuals or organisations whose involvement may emerge during an investigation.
Mr Assafuah said he was not asking CHRAJ to treat any allegation as proven. Instead, he wants the commission to examine official records, beneficiary-selection processes, institutional representations, financial transactions and accountability procedures.
A central issue concerns an agreement between the NSA and TRIBE Culture Fest dated 2 June 2025, followed by supplementary arrangements dated 19 January 2026. The reported charges were US$3,000 per person for United States visa facilitation and US$2,000 for Canadian visa facilitation.
The petition says a list of 22 proposed personnel was sent on 28 January 2026, while an NSA letter dated 18 March 2026 certified four people as bona fide NSA staff. The United States Embassy’s Fraud Prevention Unit later requested employment letters as part of its verification process.
Further correspondence dated 28 May 2026 reportedly referred to NSA volunteers or event coordinators. A list dated 8 June 2026 contained 102 names, but only 15 were reportedly verified as NSA personnel through the records examined.
Mr Assafuah is seeking an explanation for the discrepancy and wants CHRAJ to establish who approved the lists, what evidence was used to verify applicants and whether officials acted within their authority.
He also questioned the Ministry of Sports and Recreation’s oversight, including its reported correspondence dated 28 May 2026 and the steps taken to address inconsistencies.
The petition separately raises concerns about the GTA’s reported allocation of 400 United States slots and 800 Canadian slots, associated with Chief Executive Officer Maame Efua Houadjeto. It asks CHRAJ to examine the selection criteria, approvals, expenditure and use of sponsorship proceeds.
In July 2026, 14 GTA regional directors reportedly petitioned the Chief Executive Officer for information about the allocation and sponsorship funds. Mr Assafuah said the document should be assessed alongside management’s response, financial records, vouchers and internal audit reports.
The petition also refers to GHATOF. An allocation reportedly increased from four slots to 20, with individuals allegedly charged approximately GH¢2,250 each. It asks investigators to establish whether visa fees were paid to the Embassy and whether any money was refunded.
Mr Assafuah wants CHRAJ to determine whether public officers or private facilitators used their positions improperly, failed to maintain accurate records or mishandled funds. He has requested the commission to recommend corrective action and refer evidence of suspected criminal conduct to the appropriate authority where warranted.
