Kofi Adams dismisses claims World Cup delegation members failed to return from US

Ghana's Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has dismissed allegations that two officials from his ministry failed to return home after travelling to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The claims were made by the Minority in Parliament, which alleges that the minister's driver and a secretary from the office of the ministry's Chief Director remained in the US after joining the government-sponsored delegation.

The opposition, led on the issue by the Ranking Member of Parliament's Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has challenged the government's claim that all 431 state-sponsored travellers returned to Ghana after the tournament.

The Minority has also demanded that the government publish the names and passport details of everyone sponsored for the trip to allow independent verification.

Adams, however, said he had no evidence to support the allegations and suggested the reports could be false.

"I don't have that information. This information may be one of the fake news," he said.

The minister revealed that he had recently met senior officials from the US Embassy in Ghana, including the chargé d'affaires, the new consul officer and the political head, but said the issue of any Ghanaian overstaying a visa was never raised.

"This matter of anybody overstaying his or her visa was never raised with us," he said.

Adams added that neither the US Embassy nor Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had formally informed him that any member of the delegation had overstayed a visa or failed to return to Ghana.

"If you are hearing, then we are waiting for them," he added.

The minister also questioned the basis of the Minority's claims, insisting that no such concerns had been raised during his engagements with US diplomats.

"I don't know the time you became the American Ambassador in Ghana for you to know much about Ghanaians who have travelled there and have not returned," he said.

According to Adams, his discussions with US officials instead focused on future cooperation, including preparations for upcoming Olympic Games participation.

"They actually have commended Ghana, and they have asked that towards the Olympic Games, we should start much earlier so that they will be able to process more persons," he said.