National Cathedral Secretariat Hits Back At Ablakwa: Accuses MP of Distorting Facts

• The National Cathedral Secretariat has responded to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa's accusations of identity theft in the USA
• Executive Director of the National Cathedral project Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah said the MP for North Tongu is deliberating distorting facts to mislead the public and muck rack the project
• The National Cathedral Secretariat said in a statement dated May 4, 2023, that although the digits of the Social Security Number of a dead man are the same as the Employers Identity Number of the National Cathedral entity in the US, they are not in any way linked

The National Cathedral Secretariat has hit back at opposition MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for alleging that the secretariat has engaged in identity theft in the United States.

The NDC MP for North Tongu claimed that managers of the project has used the Social Security Number of one Jose Salgado, a deceased person, to register an entity affiliated to the National Cathedral in the US.

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But in a rebuttal, the Secretariat said the malicious accusation against the Secretariat are a deliberate attempt to distort facts.

Social Security Number is not the same as Employers Identification Number

In a press statement issued by the National Cathedral Secretariat, it is explained that while the said Jose Salgado's Social Security Number has the same digits as the Employers Identification Number National Cathedral of Ghana and Bible Museum, they are not linked in any way.

The Executive Director of the National Cathedral Secretariat, Dr Paul Opoku Mensah, rebuts in the press statement as follows:

"For the record, the Taxpayer ID Number is issued for corporations and is separated by one dash, to wit, 86-3859197. This taxpayer ID Number is derived from the Employment Identification Number (EIN), which is applied for, as the first step in the application for tax-exempt status.

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"The Social Security Number (SSN), on the other hand, is issued to individuals and is separated by two dashes, to wit, 863-85-9197. Even if the numbers are the same, because of the dashes, they mean different things. Thus, the taxpayer ID (86-3859197) is not the same thing as the social security number (863-85-9197)."

National Cathedral Secretariat accuses Ablakwa of misleading the public

The Secretariat is convinced that the MP's publication is not the result of an accident or of ignorance.

Dr Opoku-Mensah says the publication reflects the modus operandi of the MP,

"All his so-called "National Cathedral scandals" are distortions of information on the project!" he stressed.

TUC advises Akufo-Addo to convert National Cathedral into National Hospital

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that the Trades Union Congress (TUC) admonished President Nana Akufo-Addo to stop the National Cathedral project and convert it into a "national hospital" project.

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TUC General Secretary Dr Yaw Baah made the comments on May 1, 2023, during a speech to mark this year's May Day celebrations held in Bolgatanga.

Dr Baah also boldly told the president to cut down the size of his ministers and other appointees to reduce government spending.

Source: YEN.com.gh