Govt spent GHS142 million on National Cathedral in 2021 – Auditor General’s report
The 2021 Auditor General’s report has been dominating media headlines this week with the voluminous misappropriation of funds in government and state institutions.
The 2021 Auditor General’s report has been dominating media headlines this week with the voluminous misappropriation of funds in government and state institutions.
Included in the report is spending on the National Cathedral by the government in 2021.
According to the Auditor General, the Ministry of Finance disbursed a whopping GH¢142,762,500 on the controversial project as of December 2021.
The National Cathedral was captured under the government’s priority programmes and interventions for the said year.
In all, initiatives under that category cost a total of GH¢9,197 million during the 2021 financial year.
Earlier this week, Executive Director of the Cathedral, Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah said the project has stalled due to the lack of funds.
“We have the contractors and their staff on site, but the work has been suspended. We are hoping that within the next couple of weeks, as part of our fundraising and other initiatives we can begin work again,” he stated.
According to him, “our ability to complete this work keenly depends on Ghanaians supporting it.”
Recently, the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Reverend Professor Paul Frimpong-Manso, has urged Christians to contribute to the construction of the project.
Rev. Frimpong-Manso said "If we think that the best belongs to the Lord, do they want us to build the cathedral in a certain corner?
"Please the 70% Christians, let us be fair and take the opportunity and contribute. It is doable if everyone will pay Ghc100 a month or less…"
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged to use the funds raised for the construction of the National Cathedral wisely.
He said the funds raised for the National Cathedral will be treated with sacred trust, and transparency adding that the government will be accountable to Ghanaians.
