President John Dramani Mahama has sacked Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), according to multiple media reports.
Mr Ampofo’s removal brings an end to his tenure at the NSA following months of scrutiny over the management and condition of the country’s sporting facilities.
The development comes less than a month after President John Mahama dissolved the NSA’s governing board on September 2, 2026.
Mr Ampofo Ankrah’s tenure has also been overshadowed by allegations of a visa facilitation scheme involving individuals seeking assistance with visa and travel arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The allegations intensified in September after the Minority in Parliament called for his suspension or dismissal, claiming that more than US$600,000 had been collected from applicants, with some allegedly charged as much as US$8,000.
Mr Ampofo and other NSA officials were subsequently reported to have been questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as part of investigations into the matter.
The NSA, however, denied authorising any visa facilitation or money-collection scheme, describing the allegations as false. Its legal team also said the authority was cooperating with the police investigation.
Beyond the visa allegations, the NSA under Mr Ampofo Ankrah also faced scrutiny over the state of major sporting facilities, including the Accra Sports Stadium and Baba Yara Sports Stadium, whose suitability to host major sporting events has come under question.
His dismissal now brings his leadership of the NSA to an end amid ongoing discussions about the management of Ghana’s sporting infrastructure and the authority’s operations.
Meanwhile, President John Mahama has now appointed Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong as Acting Director-General of the NSA following Mr Ampofo Ankrah’s sacking.
In other news, Bright Kankam Boadu, a Ghanaian Sports journalist, some months ago blew an alarm on the government 2026 World Cup tickets for the Black Stars games.
The sports journalist alleged that tickets meant for Ghana supporters during the 2026 FIFA World Cup were resold at heavily inflated prices, which left many fans unable to watch the Black Stars in action.
According to Bright KanKam Boadu, there is a scandal involving the government of Ghana tickets for the 2026 World Cup, adding that some people were in the ministries selling tickets at inflated prices to Ghanaians in the United States.
Speaking about the situation that unfolded in the United States, Bright Kankam Boadu alleged, “People were abroad buying tickets in Ghana; people were selling tickets for them in the Ministry. You were aware, you know; if you don’t know, do your investigation.
Minister, there is a scandal on those tickets. I know the FA were selling their own tickets people they said they requested from FIFA.
“My concern is the tickets the government bought. They said they were going to send 800 fans, which means there were 800 tickets per game allocated to the government. “So where were the tickets? Were they the ones the ministries were selling IN Ghana? Kansas City, when the camera captured the stands, it was just some kids that were seen. The Ghanaians in that stadium were not even more than 100,” he questioned.
The veteran journalist argued that many Ghanaian supporters were not expecting free tickets but were instead willing to purchase them at their official prices.
He added, “Ghanaians didn’t ask for free tickets but sell it to them at a good value,” he stated.
Bright Kankam Boadu alleged that tickets with an official face value of just $60 were being resold for between $700 and $800.
“Tickets that were $60 were being sold for $700. A fellow Ghanaian was selling this just so he could get the profit. He didn’t care if the team lost as long as he sold the tickets. Some were sold at $800,” he added.
@ghnow_ Firefighters Battle Thick Smoke and Flames at Avenor Fire #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – Sarkodie
@ghnow_ Firefighters brave thick smoke and raging flames as they work tirelessly to bring the Avenor fire under control. Their courage and dedication deserve our respect. 🙏🏾👏🏾 #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – LYRICS_KISS🦅⏳
