The Minority in Parliament has challenged the government’s claim that all 431 people sponsored to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States have returned to Ghana.

The caucus says the driver of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams and a secretary at the office of the Ministry’s Chief Director are among those sponsored for the tournament but are yet to return to the country.

Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said the Minority raised specific questions about the Minister’s driver, identified as Mr Okyere, during Mr Adams’ briefing to the Committee. He said the Minister denied knowing anyone by that name, although he acknowledged that he could know the individual.

The Minority also identified the secretary at the Chief Director’s office as Christie and alleged that she travelled to the United States as part of the government-sponsored group but has not returned to Ghana.

Mr Assafuah said the claims raise questions about the accuracy of the government’s assertion that all 431 sponsored travellers had returned and called for the Ministry to provide documentary evidence to settle the matter.

“We are asking the Minister to publish all the 431 people, their passport number and their names as to whether these people actually returned back to Ghana or not,” he said.

He further questioned the government’s claim in light of the two individuals identified by the caucus.

“If the government says that all the 431 people that were sponsored by the government all returned back to Ghana, that cannot be the case,” he said.

The Minority is therefore demanding the publication of the names and passport numbers of all 431 sponsored travellers to allow their travel and return status to be verified.

The allegations concerning the two individuals are claims by the Minority and have not, from the material cited, been independently established.