Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams has intervened in a mounting administrative crisis at the National Sports Authority (NSA), ordering the immediate dismissal of 17 staff members recruited without official clearance.

In a high-stakes meeting held on Monday, February 23, the Minister directed the NSA’s Director General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, to revoke the appointments following a bitter dispute over public sector hiring protocols.

The directive follows a period of heightened tension between the NSA Board and management.

At the heart of the scandal is the discovery that several individuals were brought onto the payroll without the mandatory approval of the Public Services Commission or the Ministry of Finance.

The Board maintains that the recruitment bypassed essential transparency laws. Under these regulations, all public sector vacancies must be publicly advertised to ensure fair competition, vetted through formal interviews and background checks, and strictly matched against the approved organisational structure.

Most notably, the Board pointed out that some of the roles filled, including a newly created "Chief Operations Officer" position, do not actually exist within the Authority’s official framework.

The scandal has raised serious questions regarding the Authority's financial management.

Reports suggest that the remuneration for these 17 individuals was not processed through standard NSA accounts, leading to a standoff over who authorised the payments and from which fund they were drawn.

The Minister's intervention aims to end this administrative impasse, ensuring that the NSA adheres to the strict fiscal discipline required of state institutions.

The National Sports Authority, which currently employs roughly 121 staff at its headquarters, is in the midst of a wider reform programme intended to streamline operations and improve the delivery of sporting services across the country.

Sources close to the Ministry indicate that the Director General is expected to comply with the dismissal order immediately to prevent further legal or financial liability for the state.