The Minority caucus in Parliament has triggered a fresh wave of scrutiny into the operations of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), pressing the institution to clarify allegations regarding an illegal World Cup visa racket involving non-staff members.
Addressing journalists at Parliament House, the Ranking Member on the Youth and Sports Committee and MP for Old Tafo, Hon. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, disclosed that preliminary investigations conducted by the caucus show visa slots intended for official GTA activities were allegedly being sold to unauthorised individuals at exorbitant rates.
According to the Lawmaker, figures uncovered during their probe indicate that non-staff members paid between $7,000 and $14,000 to secure these coveted travel slots under the guise of official GTA delegations.
“Our investigation also raises questions concerning allegations that individuals who were not GTA staff were being offered or processed under these arrangements at fees reportedly ranging from seven thousand USD to fourteen thousand USD per person,” Hon. Assafuah revealed.
Demanding an immediate account of the Authority’s conduct, the Old Tafo legislator urged the GTA leadership to justify why official slots earmarked for national tourism representation were extended to private individuals outside the agency.
“[GTA] must explain to taxpayers why individuals outside the Ghana Tourism Authority were allegedly being processed or offered access to visa opportunities associated with allocations intended for the Authority’s World Cup related activities,” he insisted.
The Ranking Member further pointed to severe gaps in accountability regarding event execution and visa oversight, calling out two individuals operating under the aliases “Chase” and “Diesel” who were allegedly recruited to manage visa channels for North American destinations.
“There are also questions surrounding two individuals identified to us as Chase and Diesel, who were allegedly engaged to oversee visa processing activities involving the United States and Canadian allocations.”
“The public deserves clarity on who these individuals are, who engaged them, the authority under which they operated and what role they played in the processing of applicants,” Hon. Assafuah added.
Beyond the visa allocation saga, the Minority is demanding a comprehensive breakdown of the deliverables and financial expenditure linked to Tribe Culture Fest following its preparatory engagements.
Inquiring about outstanding balances and performance reports, Hon. Assafuah asserted that the caucus holds documentation on these transactions and will present them to the public sphere.
“What report was produced following the preparatory work and what amount, if any, remains outstanding… all the reports following the preparatory works are also available. We will make it available to the media,” he said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana