Deputy Sports Minister, NSA boss suspended over visa racketeering

0
6
Advertisement

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has with immediate effect suspended deputy Youth and Sports Minister Pius Enam Hadzide and the acting Director General of the National Sports Authority, Robert Sarfo Mensah. The two are said to be among others who have been implicated in the Commonwealth Games alleged visa racketeering for some 60 fake journalists and athletes. “This decision has been taken following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of some sixty (60) Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences in the on-going 21st Commonwealth Games,” a statement from the presidency explained. Team executives recalled from Australia President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Ben Nunoo Mensah; the Board Chairman of the National Sports Authority, Kwadwo Baah Agyeman andd the Chef-de-Maison for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Mohammed Sahnoon, have also been recalled from the Games. The statement dated April 12 and signed by Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the presidency said the officials have been recalled to assist in investigations currently being undertaken by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Service. Some 60 Ghanaians who were part of Ghana’s contingent to the games were detained and deported by the Australian immigration authorities for posing illegitimately as journalists, athletes and officials. The scandal has since caused great embarrassment to Ghana and officials of the GOC have since last week suspended two staff of the National Sports Authority after initial investigations implicated them. The two, Christine Ashley and Husseini Akuetteh Addy, which according to Daily Graphic, were on seconded to the GOC to assist in their data entry for Ghana’s contingent, have been ordered to return to Ghana Minority want full disclosure Though the GOC is said to be investigating the matter which has caused hue and cry in the country, the Minority MPs want full scale independent investigation to establish the extent of fraud and identify personalities involved in the scandal. That, the MPs say would forestall future occurrence. READ: Minority to summon Sports Minister over Commonwealth Games visa scandal “This proposed investigation must be initiated immediately by His Excellency, President Nana Addo-DankwaAkufo-Addo,” a statement signed by Kobena Mensah Woyome, ranking member of the Youth, Sports and Culture Committee said. They on April 6 served notice to summon the Youth and Sports Minister, Isaac Asiamah, to provide full disclosure on the visa scandal By 3news.com|Ghana]]>