Sports Minister lied about knowledge of TRIBE Culture Fest - Assafuah

The Ranking Member on Parliament's Sports and Recreation Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, says the Minister of Sports and Recreation is lying about his knowledge of TRIBE Culture Fest's role in the alleged World Cup visa scandal.

He says a US Embassy email proves the Ministry knew about TRIBE Culture's involvement long before March or April as claimed.

Speaking in a special interview on TV3's NewDay on Monday, October 12, 2026, Assafuah said the correspondence shows TRIBE was introduced at earlier stakeholder engagements.

"The US Embassy was saying that, building on discussions from the October 22nd, 2025 FIFA World Cup 2026 stakeholder meeting, the US Embassy is pleased to invite you to the third FIFA World Cup stakeholder meeting," he stated.

Assafuah explained that the content of the mail "means the 22nd October 2025 meeting was the second meeting as far as the TRIBE Culture Fest introduction was concerned."

According to him, the email was signed by Mimi Kuukua Coofie of the US Embassy and was a build-up from meetings held between the National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and TRIBE Culture Fest.

"This is an email sent by the US Embassy. It was signed by Mimi Kuukua Coofie. I'm giving you an email which is a build-up from meetings that have been held between the NSA, GTA and TRIBE Culture Fest," he stated.

He added that the Minister's claim of not knowing about the company's involvement cannot be true.

"So if the Minister says that he is unaware of any meeting or he is unaware of TRIBE Culture Fest involvement with NSA, he is lying," he stated, stressing that "if he tells you that after March or April that is when he got to be aware about TRIBE Culture Fest involvement in this World Cup, that is also a lie because the email does not say so."

Assafuah's comments come on the back of allegations that some Ghanaians who sought to travel for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted in the US, Mexico and Canada were charged between $8,000 and $9,000 under arrangements involving the NSA, GTA and TRIBE Culture Fest, despite an official agreement of $3,000 for US visas and $2,000 for Canada.

The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has said there is still no evidence that Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, collected $8,000, $9,000 or $10,000 from any applicant, while GTA CEO, Maame Efua Houadjeto, has also denied personal involvement in the sale of visas.