President John Dramani Mahama has sacked Yaw Ampofo Ankrah as Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA).
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 World Cup tournament in the United States of America.
The Minority alleged that some applicants were charged as much as US$8,000 under the purported scheme, prompting calls for investigations into the activities of the NSA.
Mr Ampofo Ankrah and other NSA officials were subsequently reported to have been questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as part of the ongoing investigation.
His removal also comes amid growing concerns about the condition of major sporting facilities, including the Accra Sports Stadium and the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, which have faced scrutiny over their suitability to host major sporting events.
The development follows President Mahama’s dissolution of the NSA’s governing board on September 2, 2026, as part of changes to the Authority’s leadership.
Mr Ampofo Ankrah, who was a member of the dissolved board, continued to oversee the NSA’s day-to-day operations after the board was disbanded.
An Associate Professor of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong has been appointed Acting Director-General of the NSA following Mr Ampofo Ankrah’s removal.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
