Accra, Ghana—July 19, 2025
The National Cathedral of Ghana—once hailed as a symbol of national unity and spiritual renewal—now stands at the center of a sweeping accountability reckoning following a damning audit by Deloitte & Touche. The audit, commissioned by the government and unveiled today, has triggered a cascade of legal, financial, and institutional reforms aimed at salvaging public trust and protecting state resources.
Deloitte Audit Uncovers Troubling Gaps
While limited in scope, the Deloitte report revealed deep irregularities in the project’s financial and managerial architecture. Among the findings were unexplained payments to a halted contractor, governance lapses, and contract structures heavily skewed against the state’s interest. These revelations have raised critical questions about transparency, fiduciary oversight, and project justification.
Cathedral Secretariat Dissolved, Board to Follow
In a bold move, President John Dramani Mahama ordered the dissolution of the National Cathedral Secretariat, effective May 1, 2025. The Attorney General has now been directed to take legal steps to also dissolve the Board of Trustees—a body previously registered as a company limited by guarantee. The dissolution signals an unequivocal shift in the state’s posture toward the embattled project.
Report Goes Public, Forensic Audit Incoming
The President has ordered the immediate publication of the Deloitte report, making it accessible to the media, civil society groups, and the broader public via digital platforms. To fill gaps in the current audit, the Auditor General has been tasked to launch a full forensic investigation—delving into every layer of the Secretariat’s operations and project execution.
Contract Termination to Stop Fiscal Bleeding
One of the most startling findings involved a contractor who ceased work in March 2023 but continued to receive payments. Described as “lopsided and financially detrimental,” the contract has prompted legal action. The Attorney General will move to terminate it, hoping to stem further losses and reaffirm procurement discipline.
Accountability on the Horizon
According to government sources, the forensic audit is part of a larger oral investigative initiative that could have broader implications. If misconduct is uncovered, officials promise that all responsible parties—whether public or private—will be held to account.
A National Moment of Reckoning
The cathedral, envisioned as a sacred edifice to unify the nation, has instead become a case study in the risks of opacity, misplaced priorities, and governance breakdown. As public scrutiny intensifies, many Ghanaians are demanding not just answers but a renewed commitment to ethical leadership and institutional integrity.
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