Subsequent audit reports will vindicate National Cathedral project – Gov’t spokesperson
Government spokesperson Palgrave Boakye Danquah has expressed confidence that the National Cathedral project will be fully vindicated once all audit reports are completed.
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Following a 2020 audit report that found no financial irregularities, he assured Ghanaians that the 2021 to 2023 audits would further confirm the project’s transparency and integrity.
Palgrave who was speaking on TV3 on October 5, 2024, referenced the 2020 audit conducted by Deloitte, which found no financial mismanagement, and expressed optimism that the forthcoming audits for 2021, 2022, and 2023 would provide similar assurances.
“I would state that we should wait for the full audit to come then we can be able to understand how these payments were made,” Palgrave noted.
The National Cathedral project has been subject to public scrutiny, particularly after it emerged that taxpayers' money was involved in the construction, despite initial assurances that it would be funded through private donations.
Palgrave acknowledged the concerns but reiterated that the audit reports would clarify how funds were allocated.
He noted that extensive fundraising efforts, both locally and internationally, had always been a part of the project’s financing strategy.
Beyond financial concerns, Palgrave highlighted the symbolic importance of the National Cathedral. He described it as a “sacred conversation” and an essential part of Ghana’s national identity.
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According to him, the Cathedral is a monumental project reflecting Ghana’s religious heritage and cultural history.
However, North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa questioned the transparency of the project and called for the 2020 audit report to be published.
Speaking as a co-panelist he raised concerns about inflationary pricing and other irregularities, particularly regarding a $6 million payment made to a foreign fundraiser and called for a full probe into the matter, describing the payment as a potential case of financial mismanagement.