The Minister of State in charge of Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has announced that misappropriation of funds linked to the controversial National Cathedral project has yielded to a sum of $97 million.

This reflects costs fully incurred thus far, despite the project stalling at the foundation level.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu stated at a media briefing in Accra on Friday, July 18, that the amount reflects an unpaid balance of $39 million that was previously unknown.

He added that additional costs were accumulating daily, even though construction activities had long ceased.

"National Cathedral Project amounts to $ 58 million so far, and there is an additional outstanding $ 39 million payment due the contractor. This will bring the total cost incurred for the hole at the site of the project to $97 million," he disclosed.

The National Cathedral was proposed under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to be a monumental Christian worship centre in Ghana.

But the project progressed at a snail's pace, spiralling costs and the use of public funds in a secular state.

According to reports, a total amount of $58 million was spent on the project deemed to be Ghana’s most expensive bit.

Over a year ago, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, raised concerns with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), alleging irregularities in the project's construction and the operations of the National Cathedral Secretariat.

After investigating the case for several months, the Commission recommended that the Office of the Auditor-General intervene and conduct a forensic audit to ascertain whether funds allocated for the project were used for their intended purposes.

The Commission highlighted that GHS225.9 million in “seed money” had been spent on activities including site preparation, contractor mobilization, and consultancy services as of May 31, 2022.

CHRAJ's detailed report recommended the potential prosecution of the board of trustees overseeing the National Cathedral project, citing their role in awarding the contract to Ribade Company Limited.

The report highlighted multiple violations of procurement regulations and warned that the failure of those involved to address the issues could tarnish Ghana’s reputation both locally and internationally.

The government in April this year dissolved the National Cathedral Secretariat after noting that it would no longer provide funding for the abandoned project.