Commonwealth visa scandal: NSA Board Chairman joins casualty list
The Chairperson of the Board of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Kwadwo Baah Agyeman has become the latest casualty of the 2018 Commonwealth Games debacle which saw over 50 Ghanaians deported for allegedly attempting to enter the host country Australia by false pretences.
The former Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North joins the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide and the Director General of the National Sports Authority, Robert Sarfo Mensah who was also suspended with immediate on April 12.
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Mr Agyemang's suspension was announced in a press statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin on Tuesday, April 17.
Mr Agyemang along with the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Mr Ben Nunoo Mensah and the Chef-de Maison for the Commonwealth, Mr Mohammed Sahnoon were initially recalled from the Games village in Gold Coast Australia to assist the Police in investigations into the matter.
According to the statement, Mr Agyemang was suspended following preliminary investigations conducted into the debacle. He is also along with Mr HAdzide and Mr Mensah expected to assist the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Service in the ongoing investigations into the matter.
"This decision was communicated to the Board Chair by the Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on Tuesday, 17th April 2018, following the absence from the jurisdiction of the President, who is attending the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, United Kingdom," the statement said.
"Just as in the cases of the suspension of the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide; and the acting Director General of the National Sports Authority, Hon. Robert Sarfo Mensah, the decision to suspend Hon. Kwadwo Baah Agyeman has been taken following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of some sixty (60) Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences, at the 21st Commonwealth Games.
"The three officials, together with the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah; and the Chef-de-Maison for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Mr Mohammed Sahnoon, are to assist the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Service in the ongoing investigations into the matter".
Agyemang suspended seven months after being NSA Board Chairperson
Kwadwo Baah Agyemang's suspension comes barely seven months after he was sworn-in as the Chairperson of the NSA board tasked with advising the Sports Minister on matters relating to the promotion and development of sports in the country.
He is the second member of the 15-member NSA Board to be suspended as a result of the Commonwealth Games scandal. The other person is Robert Sarfo Mensah.
"I know turning the NSA into what we all want it to be is an arduous task but this difficulty should rather spur us on to this sweet but difficult victory," Mr Agyemang stated shortly after he was sworn in by the Minister of Youth and Sports Isaac Kwame Asiamah.