Premature to call for Sports Minister’s removal while CID probe is ongoing – Ernest Norgbey

Chairman of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Ernest Norgbey, says it would be premature to call for the removal of Sports Minister Kofi Adams while investigations into alleged irregularities surrounding Ghana’s World Cup travel arrangements are ongoing.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Mr Norgbey said he would only support calls for the minister to step aside if the committee’s investigations establish that his continued stay in office could interfere with the process.

“I would only agree on that when the minister has, as promised, provided all the documents to us, all the information that we requested from him, and we realise that no, his continuous stay in office will interfere in the investigation. But as we speak now, it will be premature for me to pronounce that judgment. Not at all,” he said.

His comments follow calls by the Minority in Parliament for President John Mahama to remove Mr Adams from office, following allegations surrounding the arrangements for officials and other individuals who travelled for the 2026 World Cup.

The Minority has also questioned the handling of visa and travel arrangements, including allegations that some individuals paid significantly more than the amounts contemplated in the original arrangements.

However, Mr Norgbey said the allegations must first be established through investigations before conclusions are drawn.

He noted that the National Sports Authority (NSA) boss, Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah, was asked to step aside after being invited by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to provide evidence.

“The difference here is that the NSA boss was invited by the CID. You don’t know the briefing the President got from the CID. So the NSA boss gave evidence to the CID.”

According to Mr Norgbey, he is not aware that Mr Adams has been invited by the CID for questioning.

“I’m not sure the minister has been called before the CID, any investigative authority, to give evidence or otherwise, as we speak now.”

He therefore maintained that it would be premature to demand the minister’s removal at this stage, stressing that the investigative process should be allowed to establish the facts.

Mr Norgbey also disclosed that the Youth and Sports Committee is still awaiting additional information from the minister and various agencies involved in the preparations for the World Cup before it can conclude its own report.