Accra, Ghana – July 19, 2025
A project meant to embody national faith and grandeur has instead become Ghana’s most glaring monument to waste, mismanagement, and broken oversight. The National Cathedral, envisioned as a unifying symbol, now stands at just 8% completion, despite $97 million in taxpayer funds funneled into its foundations. The explosive audit by Deloitte and Touche, commissioned by the government and released in full, reveals a tangle of financial irregularities, stalled progress, and contractual negligence—sparking national outrage and a swift state response.
A Cathedral Drenched in Debt
- $97 million spent so far
- $58 million in direct project costs
- $39 million still owed to the contractor
- Construction stalled since March 2023
Despite the site’s inactivity, costs continue to balloon—raising alarms about unchecked payments and government oversight.
Consultant Payments Lost in Translation
Deloitte’s audit uncovered stunning discrepancies in payments to renowned architect Sir David Adjaye & Associates. While the Office of the President recorded payments of GHS113 million and GHS40,564, the firm claimed to have received GHS117 million and GHS972,656. That’s a $4.7 million and GHS97.9 million mismatch with no credible reconciliation.
Breach of Procurement Protocols
Procurement violations date back to the project’s inception. Between September 2018 and June 2019, the architect received GHS15.7 million—months before a contract was signed or approved. The entire engagement was secured through sole-sourcing, bypassing public procurement law with neither justification nor approval.
Unapproved Variations, Unpaid Extras
An eye-watering $12.4 million went toward “extra works”—including a proposed Bible Museum and a 350-seater restaurant. None of these additions were formally integrated into the contract, exposing severe lapses in regulatory compliance.
Double Billing and Phantom Fundraising
The audit reveals troubling redundancy in project management. Nehemiah Group’s contract expired in March 2021, but $523,521 in payments continued nonetheless. That includes $110,630.56 for US fundraising events that yielded zero donations. Simultaneously, Kubik Maltby was paid $592,500 for nearly identical services—an overlap that reeks of duplicate billing.
Loans Without Agreements, Interests With No Boundaries
A loan of GHS2.6 million was extended to JNS Talent Center Limited, owned by a Board member, without any formal documentation or agreement. The loan was later repaid—using project funds—raising red flags about conflicts of interest and misappropriation.
Systemic Governance Failure
Deloitte paints a picture of chaos inside the project’s financial corridors:
- GHS38.2 million in mobile donations remain unreconciled
- GHS292,681 in expenses lacked support documentation
- Travel and accommodation payments had missing receipts and duplicate approvals
- The procurement committee violated public procurement laws, lacking proper member composition
Presidential Intervention: Dismantling the Dream
President John Mahama has taken decisive action:
- Dissolved the National Cathedral Secretariat as of May 1, 2025
- Ordered the Board of Trustees dissolved
- Directed termination of the contractor’s agreement to halt further losses
- Mandated full publication of the Deloitte audit
- Commissioned a forensic audit to dig deeper
From Symbol to Scandal
The cathedral was meant to represent Ghana’s spiritual soul. Instead, it now symbolizes institutional decay and elite impunity. As the forensic audit looms, so does the possibility of criminal prosecutions and asset recoveries. The government has pledged to hold all responsible individuals to account.
What remains is not just a question of incomplete construction—but a national test of transparency, restitution, and the political will to clean house. The stones of this unfinished cathedral may yet tell a more enduring story—not of divine glory, but of civic redemption.
Sankofaonline
