10 key revelations from government’s statement on National Cathedral audit

Today Felix Kwakye Ofosu engaged the media fresh update on the infamous National Cathedral.

Here’s a break down of his speech;

1. Total cost of project hits $97 million
   Despite construction halting years ago, the government revealed that the actual cost incurred so far for the National Cathedral stands at $97 million—not the previously assumed $58 million. An additional $39 million is owed to the contractor, and due to the skewed nature of the contract, costs continue to accrue daily.
2. Discrepancies in payments to Sir David Adjaye
   The Office of the President confirmed GHS 113 million in payments to Sir David Adjaye & Associates, while the firm claims to have received nearly GHS 118 million—showing a difference of over GHS 4.9 million. Additionally, payments were made before proper procurement approvals were granted.
3. Unclear contract amounts with Ribade JV
   The contract sum with Ribade JV was inconsistently reported. While the signed agreement quotes USD 261.9 million, other government documents mention USD 286.4 million. Progress reports and payment certificates cited figures between USD 268.5 million and USD 283.2 million, suggesting lack of cost control.
4. Conflicting payments to Nehemiah Group
   Government records show USD 4.28 million paid to The Nehemiah Group, but the company claims USD 4.34 million—a USD 60,000 difference. Furthermore, while the government claims USD 1.85 million remains unpaid, the firm says only USD 155,000 is outstanding, highlighting major reconciliation issues.
5. Overlapping roles and duplicated payments
   The Nehemiah Group and Kubik Maltbie were paid separately for coordination and oversight during the same project phase. Kubik Maltbie received USD 592,500, about 87% of what was paid to Nehemiah, raising concerns about duplicated roles and unjustified payments.
6. Procurement breaches in Adjaye contract
   Sir David Adjaye was paid GHS 15.7 million before the contract was formally approved by the Public Procurement Authority. His appointment was through sole sourcing, lacking sufficient justification, violating Ghana’s procurement laws and raising red flags about transparency and value for money.
7. Suspicious loan deal with JNS Talent Centre
   A GHS 2.6 million “loan” was taken from JNS Talent Centre, owned by a board member, without any formal loan agreement. The repayment was made with project funds, raising serious issues of transparency, conflict of interest, and poor financial governance.
8. Poor documentation and internal control lapses
   GHS 38.2 million in mobile money donations could not be reconciled due to failed transfers. Records for 2022 and 2023 are missing, and key expenses—such as GHS 117,180 paid for rent and GHS 20,000 to bloggers—lacked supporting documents, pointing to financial mismanagement.
9. Unsubstantiated spending in 2022
   Several payments were made without receipts or proper approval, including a GHS 18,500 hotel bill where only GHS 4,976 was recorded, and another USD 20,504.95 approval granted for a trip already pre-funded. USD 17,000 in imprest was also paid without accountability.
10. Illegal setup of procurement committee
    The procurement committee did not meet legal standards. It lacked mandated members, and roles such as Chair and Secretary were incorrectly assigned. This non-compliance invalidates its decisions and undermines the integrity of the entire procurement process.

Government’s next steps
The Secretariat has been dissolved, the Board of Trustees will be legally disbanded, a forensic audit has been commissioned, the full audit report will be made public, and legal steps are being taken to terminate contracts and prevent further financial loss.