Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong has been appointed Acting Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), replacing Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, whose tenure as head of the Authority has come to an end. The appointment takes immediate effect, with Prof. Sarpong assuming leadership of the NSA at a time of heightened scrutiny over the management of Ghana’s sporting facilities and an ongoing police investigation into an alleged visa facilitation scheme connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Prof. Sarpong is an Associate Professor of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Education, Winneba. He takes over as the NSA faces questions surrounding the management and maintenance of major sporting facilities across the country. The Authority has denied any involvement in the alleged visa facilitation arrangement, while its legal representatives have stated that the NSA is cooperating with the police investigation.
The leadership change follows President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to dissolve the NSA’s governing board on September 2, 2026. Ampofo Ankrah, who served on the dissolved board, remained responsible for the Authority’s day-to-day administration until his removal.
His position came under further scrutiny in September after the Minority in Parliament called for his suspension or dismissal over allegations concerning the collection of more than US$600,000 from individuals seeking assistance with visa and travel arrangements for the World Cup.
The Minority alleged that some individuals were charged as much as US$8,000, while emphasising that it was not prejudging the outcome of the ongoing investigation. Ampofo Ankrah and other NSA officials were subsequently reported to have been questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as part of the probe.
The NSA, however, rejected the allegations, maintaining that it neither authorised nor participated in any visa facilitation or money-collection scheme and describing the claims as false. Prof. Sarpong now assumes responsibility for the Authority amid increased attention on the management, maintenance and utilisation of key sporting facilities, including the Accra Sports Stadium and the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
