NSA Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah asked to step down

National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has been asked to step down from his position, bringing his tenure at the sports governing body to an end.

According to multiple news sources, including 3News.com, MyjoyOnline and Citinewsroom, Mr Ankrah, who has been serving as Acting Director-General of the NSA, has received official communication regarding the decision. His departure comes at a time when the NSA has faced scrutiny over a number of issues, including matters surrounding visa facilitation arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, there is no official indication that the visa-related controversy was the reason for the decision, and the circumstances surrounding his exit have not been publicly explained. The NSA had previously denied allegations concerning a visa facilitation scheme linked to the 2026 World Cup and said its legal team was cooperating with a police investigation.

The development also comes weeks after President John Dramani Mahama dissolved the governing board of the NSA on September 2, 2026. At the time, reports indicated that the dissolution of the board did not affect Mr Ankrah’s separate appointment as Director-General and that he remained responsible for the authority’s day-to-day administration.

Following receipt of the communication, Mr Ankrah took to Facebook with a brief response, urging calm and indicating that the President’s decision should be respected. “The President is always right. There is no cause for alarm. Time will always tell. Let’s remain calm,” he wrote. Mr Ankrah’s departure leaves questions over who will take charge of the NSA and the direction of the authority under new leadership.

Yaw Ampofo Ankrah was appointed Director-General of the NSA by President John Dramani Mahama on March 13, 2025. He succeeded Seth Panwum Boyoyo, who had served as NSA Director-General since October 2021. Ankrah began his tenure with an engagement with NSA staff at the authority’s head office in Accra on March 14, 2025.

Before his appointment, Ankrah was known principally as a sports journalist and sports administrator. He was the President of the Ghana Beach Soccer Association, and his experience in beach soccer was cited as one of the factors supporting his appointment. 

Under his leadership, Ghana recorded a first-ever back-to-back aggregate victory over Côte d’Ivoire in the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and finished fifth at the 2024 Beach Soccer AFCON in Egypt. His appointment came with a mandate to help strengthen sports administration, promote professionalism and improve the management of Ghana’s sporting infrastructure. 

The NSA is responsible for promoting and developing amateur and professional sports, supporting Ghanaian athletes’ participation in competitions and managing sports facilities, among other functions.