Sports Ministry Denies Sponsoring Business Class Trips to Germany | Discuss Ghana

On Sunday, March 29, 2026, Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation issued an official statement debunking viral social media claims that the Sector Minister, Kofi Adams, sponsored individuals with business class tickets for a recent trip to Germany.

The clarification comes after a video circulated showing the Minister interacting with Ghanaians at an airport, leading to allegations of "protocol" travel during the Black Stars' international friendlies against Germany and Austria.

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The Ministry’s Official Position

In the statement signed by Bagbara Tanko (Head of PR & Communications), the Ministry set the record straight on three key points:

Casual Encounter: The individuals in the viral video were not part of a government delegation. They were simply Ghanaians the Minister encountered in the departure tunnel at the airport. The interaction was described as "casual," which is common for public officials in transit.

Solo Travel: The Minister travelled alone on an official assignment to engage the Black Stars team and technical staff. No Ministry staff or delegation accompanied him.

No Public Funding: The Ministry stated unequivocally that no individual was sponsored, facilitated, or upgraded for travel. Furthermore, no funds from the Ministry's budget or corporate sponsorships were committed toward fan participation for these specific friendly matches.

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Context: The "70/30" and Transparency Tension

This denial is particularly significant given the ongoing public debate about the World Cup budget and the "National Reset" of sports spending:

Budget Watchdogs: Many fans have been on high alert for signs of "mismanagement" following rumors that 70% of World Cup funds were being set aside for officials rather than players.

Friendly Matches: The Black Stars recently concluded their European training camp with a 2–1 loss to Germany and a 1–1 draw with Austria, matches intended to finalize the squad for the June qualifiers against England and Croatia.

Zero-Tolerance for "Protocol": President John Mahama has repeatedly stated that the 2026 campaign will not repeat the "Brazil 2014" mistakes, promising that every cedi will be accounted for by Parliament.

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Statement Summary: March 29, 2026

Claim	Ministry’s Response
Sponsored Business Tickets	False. No one was sponsored or upgraded.
People in Video	Unknown. Casual citizens met at the airport tunnel.
Delegation Size	Zero. The Minister travelled alone on official duty.
Fan Support	None. No arrangements were made for fan travel for these games.

"The Ministry remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the prudent use of public resources. We urge the public to disregard these misleading narratives." — Bagbara Tanko, Ministry of Sports.