A governance crisis is unfolding at the National Sports Authority (NSA) following revelations that 17 officers were recruited into the Authority witho
A governance crisis is unfolding at the National Sports Authority (NSA) following revelations that 17 officers were recruited into the Authority without completing mandatory public sector procedures, exposing serious institutional failures in compliance, oversight, and administrative control within the sports administration framework.
The admission, made by Acting Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, follows a series of investigations and publications by Joy Sports, which first revealed that the recruitments were conducted without clearance from key regulatory bodies.
In a formal statement dated 25 February 2026, Ankrah confirmed that the affected officers would now be required to reapply for their positions “in accordance with established public service procedures,” effectively nullifying their initial appointments.
Breakdown Of Due Process
Under the public sector employment framework, recruitment into state institutions must receive approval from the Public Services Commission and the Ministry of Finance before any appointments are validated.
However, internal findings revealed that these steps were bypassed, rendering the appointments procedurally illegal.
The NSA Governing Board, after uncovering the irregularities, reportedly instructed Ankrah to revoke the appointments.
Sources indicate that the directive was first issued following a board retreat in Ada, with an initial deadline set for 6 February.
When no action was taken, the Board is said to have repeated the instruction for a second time, escalating internal tensions.
Ministerial Intervention
The controversy intensified after Sports Minister, Kofi Adams summoned the NSA Board and Director-General for a high-level meeting, demanding comprehensive employment and payroll data.
While some accounts described the Minister’s directive as an order to revoke the appointments, officials within the Ministry later clarified that the request was for full employment records for review and verification.
The meeting held on 23 February is understood to have resolved the immediate standoff, with Ankrah directed to align with the Board’s position and restore administrative compliance.
In a subsequent statement, the NSA described the engagement with the Minister as “cordial, open and solution-oriented,” signalling an institutional attempt to de-escalate the crisis while reasserting governance controls.
Earlier, Ankrah had publicly defended the recruitment of the 17 officers, arguing that their contribution had supported Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
That defence, however, triggered criticism from governance experts and civil servants who argued that national sporting success cannot justify the circumvention of public service regulations.
Structural Irregularities
The controversy deepened further amid claims that some of the roles filled were not part of the NSA’s approved organisational structure. Among the positions reportedly created without authorisation was that of a Chief Operations Officer (COO), while allegations also emerged that certain recruits were granted authority above existing Deputy Director-Generals, disrupting the Authority’s internal hierarchy.
These developments have unsettled sections of the NSA workforce, with long-serving staff alleging marginalisation and loss of operational control to newly appointed personnel whose recruitment lacked legal backing.
Payroll Questions And Financial Ambiguity
Serious questions also remain about remuneration. Under the public sector framework, employees can only be placed on the payroll of the Controller and Accountant-General after clearance from the Finance Ministry.
However, checks on how the affected officers were being paid remain unclear. Report indicates that the recruits were instead paid allowances, raising further accountability concerns over financial management and internal controls.
Historical Staffing Challenges
The recruitment scandal unfolds against a backdrop of long-standing staffing problems within the NSA. About three years ago, approximately 250 staff were recruited nationwide under the leadership of Professor Peter Twumasi, but sources indicate that some abandoned their posts while others went on study leave.
The Authority currently has about 121 staff at its headquarters alone, while still facing an estimated national personnel shortfall of over 400 workers.
Operational Decline And Systemic Weaknesses
Beyond recruitment, the crisis reflects broader institutional strain. Operational challenges persist, including the continued malfunction of the public address (PA) system at the national stadium, forcing the NSA to hire external equipment for matches — a situation critics cite as symbolic of deeper structural and management weaknesses within the Authority.
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