Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu MP, has claimed that an amount of GHS32million was paid to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd for the National Cathedral project.

According to the MP, this amount was paid to the company by President Akufo-Addo in 2021 for its consultancy services.

Per the document referenced by Mr Ablakwa, Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd also interviewed contractors.

Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd designed the new National Cathedral.

This information comes barely 24hours after it was reported that the Akufo-Addo government has allocated an amount of GHS25 million for the National Cathedral project.

Documents from the Office of the President confirm that in 2021 alone, Prez Akufo-Addo authorized an astonishing GHS32million of taxpayer funds to be paid to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd for consultancy on his National Cathedral project.

GHS57million so far; more to come. pic.twitter.com/8b1kgYZVsM

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) June 3, 2022

The North Tongu MP made this revelation. In the document sighted by The Independent Ghana and signed by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, it said that the Finance Ministry has given the National Cathedral Secretariat an extra GH25 million as seed money.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Mr Ablakwa described the allocation as shocking while hinting at the government's misplaced priority.

“Considering the current debilitating economic crisis, why is the Akufo-Addo govt releasing a colossal GHS25million for the National Cathedral project? Shockingly, this is the same govt claiming lack of funds to pay NABCo trainees, School feeding caterers, service personnel.”

Mr Ablakwa claims that so far, per his investigations, an amount of GHS57million has been spent on the project. He however believes that the government has engaged in more spending.

Meanwhile, the North Tongu MP says Parliament has not been informed about the procurement process that took place for the construction of the National Cathedral project.

“We as Members of Parliament have not approved all of these colossal sums of money that are being released to companies we are seeing for the first time.

“We are not even aware of the procurement processes that were followed for these companies and consultants who are today, at the receiving end of hundreds of millions of Ghana cedis.”

Source: The Independent Ghana