The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the government of secretly sending supporters to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This comes despite President John Dramani Mahama’s promise that the state would not pay for fans’ travel to the tournament.
The Minority claims that actions by government officials and members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) contradict the President’s statement. They raised these concerns during a press conference led by Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu, on Tuesday, June 9.
Mr. Iddrisu stated that each NDC Member of Parliament has been given two spots for fans who want to attend the World Cup. He also claimed that District Chief Executives (DCEs) have been told to give out three spots per constituency.
The Deputy Minority Chief Whip expressed that if the government truly decided not to sponsor supporters, these allocations raise serious questions about transparency and fairness.
He asked, “Why is the President saying one thing while the Ministry of Youth and Sports is doing another? Why are NDC MPs getting two slots each while constituencies receive three slots through DCEs?” Mr. Iddrisu added that this kind of arrangement damages Ghana’s reputation.
He noted that over a thousand people have applied for American visas, but fewer than a hundred have received them because proper procedures are not followed. He concluded that the alleged arrangements suggest that travel opportunities for the World Cup are being given based on political connections.
