President Akufo Addo has with immediate effect suspended the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide and the acting Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) Robert Sarfo Mensah.
The decision was taken following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of some 60 Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences, in the ongoing 21st Commonwealth Games.
A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin said ” the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Mr Ben Nunoo Mensah, the Board Chairman of the National Sports Authority, Hon. Kwadwo Baah Agyemang; and the Chief de Maison for the 2018 Commonwealth Games have been recalled from the games to assist in investigations currently being undertaken by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service.”
When news broke about the embarrassing incident during the Easter break, Government of Ghana stated that it would investigate the issue.
According to Australian authorities, they were not convinced by the reasons given by the deportees for traveling to the country although those affected claimed to be Journalists.
Eventhough those deported had genuine visas, many didn’t carry equipment like recorders and recommended mobile phones for coverage.
The now suspended Deputy Sports Minister, Pious Enam Hadidze told Starr News, then, that the Australian authorities were not sure the Ghanaians will return after the games.
“The explanation is that a grant of visa or entry permit is not automatic and that at the point of entry, the Australian authorities do some further investigations and so based on those investigations some of the officials are not convinced that some of the Ghanaians who purport to go and cover the commonwealth games intend to return to Ghana after the games.”
Mr. Hadidze added that government did not facilitate the travel arrangements of the Ghanaians who are being deported.
