Jakarta:Wonder Mandel, an aide to Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams, has assured the public that the Ministry will not protect any individual or organization found guilty in the allegations regarding Ghana's visa facilitation arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Ghana Web, Mandel emphasized during a Ministry of Sports and Recreation press conference that anyone found guilty of misconduct, falsifying information, or improperly benefiting from the arrangements would face consequences.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is already probing the allegations, and the Ministry has promised full cooperation with the ongoing investigations. The allegations involve the National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Tribe Culture Fest, and individuals accused of collecting money from prospective World Cup participants.
Mandel further explained that the Ministry called the press conference to address misinformation, misleading documents, and inconsistencies related to the visa facilitation controversy. Although typically the Ministry would wait for the CID investigation's conclusion before making detailed comments, they decided to engage with the media to clarify issues that have sparked public debate.
He also challenged claims made by Member of Parliament Vincent Ekow Assafuah, emphasizing that some allegations against the Ministry and the Sports Minister required correction through primary documents. Mandel warned against the spread of inaccurate information and unverified allegations being treated as facts.
Finally, Mandel clarified that the Ministry's response is not an attempt to sway public opinion but rather to provide journalists with documents to assess and understand the truth behind the allegations.