Mahama Orders Scrapping of National Cathedral Board, Pegs Cost of Project at $97m Amid Alleged Rot
- The government is set to dissolve the board of Trustees of the controversial National Cathedral of Ghana
- The government also indicated that the project cost Ghana more than the initial $58 million estimate
- In 2024, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice recommended a probe into the National Cathedral project
President John Mahama has ordered the dissolution of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana and the shutdown of its Secretariat.
The government has indicated that there is more questionable expenditure on the controversial project.
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Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said a new audit suggested more questionable use of public funds.
“The above audit findings rock the very foundation of the project and the work of the Secretariat and raise serious questions about the use of public funds,” Kwakye Ofosu stated.
“The National Cathedral Ghana was registered limited by guarantee. In view of that, the Attorney General has been directed to take legal steps… and we expect that to be done in the coming days."
The government also indicated that the project has cost Ghana $97 million so far, up from the initial $58 million estimate.
Ofosu explained that there is an outstanding $39 million due to the contractor.
The update follows the audit by Deloitte and Touche, which uncovered significant financial irregularities, including a lack of due diligence, weak internal controls, and poor accounting practices.
For example, management failed to provide documentation for several transactions.
Ofosu further expressed concern that additional costs continue to accumulate daily, despite work on the project having ceased years ago due to the unfavourable terms of the contract.
Irregularities involving consultancy fees
The government also uncovered financial irregularities involving consultancy fees paid to Sir David Adjaye & Associates for work on the project.
Ofosu noted an unexplained variance of GH¢4,932,091.14 between official records and the firm’s reported receipts.
While the Office of the President maintains that GH¢113,040,564.86 was disbursed, Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd. reports having received GH¢117,972,656.00.
The payments comprised GH¢87,938,750.00 from the Ministry of Finance between September 26, 2018 and November 25, 2019, and two subsequent transfers from the Office of the President; GH¢29,664,845.29 on February 19, 2021 and GH¢369,060.71 on March 5, 2021, totalling GH¢30,033,906.00.
Together, these figures align with the firm’s declared total, yet the variance remains unexplained in the government’s official records.
CHRAJ recommends probe into trustees
In 2024, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice recommended a forensic audit of the board members.
The commission justified this by citing the violation of procurement laws after a petition by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the MP for North Tongu.
It had not found any element of corruption in the case but said the breaches noted raised 'reasonable suspicion of corruption'.
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The report also highlighted several alleged breaches of Ghana’s procurement laws, particularly in awarding the construction contract to Ribade Company Ltd.
The company was reportedly given the $312 million contract without due process, and the commission has urged the Public Procurement Authority to cancel it.
The commission's report said the contract was 'invalid from its inception' because it had failed to comply with the mandatory provisions of the Procurement Act.
Archbishop Duncan-Williams and Rev Eastwood Anaba resigned from the Cathedral Board of Trustees previously, expressing concerns about the perceived lack of transparency and the failure to initiate an audit into the project's expenses.
Their resignation grabbed national headlines and has been seen by critics of the project as proof that it is founded on lies and corruption.
In response to these allegations, Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah, Executive Director of the National Cathedral project, said the two respected clergymen's claims that an audit process had been halted were unfounded.
Parliament probing National Cathedral project
YEN.com.gh reported that the eighth Parliament set up a committee to probe the National Cathedral Construction Project.
The probe follows a motion filed by Ablakwa and six other MPs.
The Second Deputy Speaker expressed concern that too much money had been spent on the project, with little evidence of results.
Source: YEN.com.gh
