Ghana: MP Calls for Probe Into 2026world Cup Raffles ...but Sports Ministry Denies Any Wrongdoing

What the report says

A Ghanaian lawmaker has called for investigations into two fundraising raffles linked to the country’s 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations, saying there may have been fraud, financial misconduct and improper use of participants’ personal data. The ranking member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said he has asked the Auditor-General and the Data Protection Commission to examine the schemes, and has also petitioned President John Dramani Mahama and the Office of the Special Prosecutor for a public, independent inquiry.

According to the report, Assafuah said he declined to take part in a committee that was reportedly set up by the Presidency because he believed only an open inquiry would build confidence. He spoke to the Parliamentary Press Corps in Accra and said the issue needed clearer scrutiny before public trust was weakened further.

The article says the first raffle was launched in November 2025 by the Ghana Football Association, the National Lottery Authority and Rambel Lotteries, with entrants paying GH¢10 via short code for a chance to win sponsored trips to support the Black Stars. A second raffle, launched in March 2026 under the Sports and Recreation Ministry and the World Cup Fundraising Committee, also asked for GH¢10 entries through mobile and online channels.

Assafuah also challenged the ministry’s account that 2,922 tickets bought with public funds were distributed to supporter groups, raffle winners and Ghanaians abroad, saying some people he identified as winners claimed they did not travel or receive tickets. The report says the Sports Ministry has denied wrongdoing.