North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has declared the findings of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) as a decisive confirmation that the National Cathedral project, originally promised to be privately funded, was heavily financed by taxpayer money without parliamentary approval.
Describing CHRAJ’s report as “damning and explosive,” Ablakwa accused the government of orchestrating a deliberate deception of the public and Parliament.
“This whole project started on the basis of deception—a grand attempt to mislead the general public and the clergy,” he stated.
Mr. Ablakwa recalled President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s repeated assurances that no public funds would be used for the project, portraying it as a private initiative. However, CHRAJ’s findings have laid bare the extensive use of public funds, contradicting those assertions.
“You recall, the President said that they were not using public funds. This was a private project. CHRAJ has confirmed what we discovered—that apparently, on the blind side of Parliament, on the blind side of all of us, contrary to the assurances we had been given, this project was a public project that was being massively funded by taxpayer funds,” Ablakwa said.
CHRAJ’s investigation uncovered significant breaches of procurement laws, pointing to lapses in transparency and accountability in the management of the National Cathedral project. The report highlighted reasonable grounds for allegations of corruption and related offences and recommended legal action against individuals involved.
Among its recommendations, CHRAJ called for:
- A Forensic Audit: To scrutinise the use of funds allocated for the project.
- A Value-for-Money Audit: To evaluate whether the $58 million spent thus far reflects the current state of construction.
Mr. Ablakwa expressed vindication, noting that the findings validate concerns raised over the project’s management and dismantle accusations that critics were engaging in baseless propaganda.
“So this is a very, very damning report that confirms all the things we have been talking about,” he said. “Those who sought to create the impression that we were just engaged in propaganda and that we didn’t have any basis for the criticism against the National Cathedral project should now accept the evidence CHRAJ has put forth.”
The CHRAJ findings amplify scrutiny on the government’s handling of the National Cathedral project and reinforce calls for transparency and accountability in managing public resources. Critics argue that such breaches erode public trust and undermine Ghana’s democratic governance.
As the debate intensifies, stakeholders await responses from the government and the National Cathedral’s Board of Trustees on the damning revelations. Meanwhile, the call for audits and prosecutions underscores the need for reforms to safeguard the use of public funds and ensure accountability in high-profile national projects.