The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has stated that it is unable to confirm whether Ribade Company Ltd. is responsible for building the national cathedral.
In a letter dated July 5, the Authority noted that the National Cathedral Secretariat is in the best position to answer questions regarding the entity involved in the construction of the cathedral, as they [PPA] have no records concerning Ribade’s involvement with the Cathedral.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had in a letter dated July 4th 2022, requested the PPA’s statement on the procurement approval for the construction of the national cathedral by Ribade Company Limited.
Mr. Ablakwa inquired as to whether the Authority had granted any procurement entity approval for the construction of the Cathedral by Ribade Company Limited, the procurement entity which requested the approval, the date of the approval request, the date on which the Board of the PPA granted said approval, the procurement method, and the value of the contract.
To which the PPA responded; “Reference is made to your letter dated 4th July 2022, on the subject above. Please be informed that the Public Procurement Authority holds no information relating to the construction of the National Cathedral by Ribade Company Ltd. You may wish to refer your enquiry to the National Cathedral Secretariat”.
Mr. Ablakwa took to social media to express his displeasure with the PPA’s response to his formal RTI request under Section 18 of Act 989. The lack of information, in his view, is evidence of the illegalities that have pervaded the cathedral’s construction under the Akufo-Addo administration.
On Wednesday, July 6, he wrote: “It is absolutely despicable to discover the sinful levels of recklessness and lawlessness which the Akufo-Addo government is exhibiting in the construction of a massive US$400million cathedral which has already siphoned a colossal GHS200million of public funds, albeit unconstitutionally, without any regard, whatsoever, for Ghana’s procurement laws.”
He is of the view that procurement laws were not respected, therefore, the use of associates of the ruling government who have allegedly pegged the cost of the cathedral project to US$400million from US$100million.
Mr Ablakwa said: “When procurement laws are not respected and cronies are hand-picked in sweetheart deals as in this instant case, there is no value for money, Ghana is short- changed financially and technically; this therefore explains why the National Cathedral project cost has become a corrupt moving target from the initial US$100million, to US$200miilion, then US$250million, rising to US$350million and now US$400million.”
Mr Ablakwa is very much displeased with how the project supposed to edify God is being run because he believes “even people who build for Satan do not engage in such a lawless orgy.”
The North Tongu MP in concluding his remarks revealed that the Akufo-Addo-led government sanctioned individuals for engaging in procurement infractions but has failed to live up to
expectation.
He wrote: “It must not be lost on us that this Akufo-Addo government has prosecuted political opponents and succeeded in jailing some, and then serving as an elated conveyor belt in a conspiracy that removed an Electoral Commissioner from office, all for alleged procurement breaches —none of those procurement infractions measure up to this egregious transgression.”
For Mr Ablakwa, “there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” during the day of accountability after life.
Recently, Ghanaians were informed that the National Cathedral is no longer a private project but a state-owned asset, therefore, the use of state funds and donations to see to its construction.
Despite Mr Ablakwa opposing the information, Executive Director, National Cathedral of Ghana, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, has insisted that the cathedral after completion would be owned by the state.
The Church of Pentecost (General Headquarters) since 2018, has contributed GH¢500,000 towards the construction of the project. This is the highest donation so far, per reports.
Action Chapel International, which is among the highest contributors, has donated GH¢200,000. In total, GH¢2,207,401.30 has been donated by various churches in Ghana for the national cathedral project.
Source: The Independent Ghana
