National Cathedral: Mahama Promises to Take Action Over Misused Funds
- President John Mahama has vowed to ensure accountability in the controversial National Cathedral project
- He stated that a forensic audit has been commissioned to scrutinise the $97 million already spent on digging the foundation
- An audit report by Deloitte Ghana flagged millions of cedis in unsupported payments and financial mismanagement
President John Dramani Mahama has vowed to ensure accountability in the controversial National Cathedral project.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the Sunayi-Atronie Achrensua project in the Bono Region, Mahama said anyone found to have misused funds for the National Cathedral will face the law.
Source: Getty Images
He said the $97 million used to dig the National Cathedral pit will be thoroughly scrutinised, and action will be taken if any act of misappropriation is discovered.
President Mahama also disclosed that he had instructed the Auditor-General to conduct a forensic audit of the project.
“The $97 million used to dig the pit for the National Cathedral will be thoroughly scrutinised. We have requested the Auditor-General to conduct a forensic audit to expose any wrongdoing. Anyone found to have embezzled state funds will face the law, so we have not abandoned the matter; investigations are ongoing,” he was quoted as saying on Ghanaweb.
An audit report by Deloitte Ghana, covering the years 2021 to 2023, has uncovered millions of cedis in unsupported payments, weak financial controls, and material risks that threaten the project's sustainability.
The Deloitte Ghana audit report also highlighted gaps in documentation, contract management, and revenue reconciliation.
This, according to Deloitte Ghana, the leading accounting firm in the country, raised serious concerns over the financial discipline of persons presiding over the project.
Mahama orders scrapping of National Cathedral Board
In a related development, 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 indicated that there is more questionable expenditure on the controversial project.
The Minister for Government Communication, 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.
He 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.
Source: Getty Images
National Cathedral Board rejects gov't proposal
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the National Cathedral Board had rejected President Mahama’s plan to convert the project into a cultural centre.
They clarified that no official communication had been received from the government and reaffirmed their commitment to completing the project.
The board said the declaration of a National Day of Prayer strengthens the urgency and justification for completing the National Cathedral.
The board emphasised that the National Cathedral project had not been abandoned, contrary to media reports that suggest otherwise.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
