Ghana: The Norwegian Embassy Failed To Do Its Job – Sports Minister

By Caroline Ameh

The Ghanaian Minister for Youth and Sports,Mustapha Yusif, has criticized the Norwegian Embassy in Ghana for failing to conduct proper due diligence, thereby allowing individuals to enter Norway under false pretenses as Paralympic athletes.

The minister’s comment, made during a news conference on July 24, 2024, comes after nine members of Ghana’s 11-person Para-Athletic Team were reported missing upon their arrival in Oslo for the Bergen Marathon in April.

According to the Minister he should not be held responsible for something that was not his responsibility.

“The Norwegian authority which issued the Visas to the Athletes didn’t see it prudent to even verify from the ministry to see whether these are genuine athletes or not so to your question whether I take responsibility, I’m sorry I can’t,” Yusif said

He added that diplomatic envoys have questions to answer.

“Diplomatic envoys or foreign service staff have questions to answer. They did not even register for the game. They had no intention to participate in the game,” he said.

In the aftermath, The Accra Times obtained a confidential statement dated July 3, 2024, from the Ministry of National Security to the Youth and Sports Ministry and Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, revealing lapses in the application process.

In response to the scandal, the National Paralympic Committee has suspended three individuals accused of masterminding the incident.