Procurement Law Violations, Unsubstantiated Payments Mar National Cathedral Project.

The National Cathedral project is not only marred by financial irregularities but also suffers from serious lapses in internal controls and compliance with legal governance frameworks, according to a Deloitte & Touche audit report.

At a press briefing at the Presidency on Friday, Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, outlined several worrying findings, casting doubt over the project’s administrative integrity.

A major concern highlighted by the audit was the non-compliance with the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) in the composition of the National Cathedral’s Procurement Committee.

The audit revealed the committee failed to meet legally mandated composition requirements, lacking key statutory members, and had improperly designated roles for its Chairperson and Secretary. This “undermines the legitimacy of procurement decisions” made by the committee, the report noted.

The audit also exposed alarming internal financial oversight weaknesses. Over GHS 38 million in mobile money donations remained unreconciled due to failed or unsuccessful transfers, with no external validation.

In 2021, inconsistencies were found in short code and Momo Pay ID donation records. No such records were available for 2022 and 2023, raising serious questions about the continuity of record-keeping.

Beyond donations, the report cited “unsupported expenditures” amounting to GHS 292,681 for various expenses, including Board Secretary costs, office operations, and accommodation for a symposium.

A loan of GHS 2.6 million was received from JNS Talent Centre Limited, a company owned by Board of Trustees member Rev. Kusi Boateng, with no loan agreement sighted to establish terms, interest, or repayment obligations. This amount was subsequently repaid using project funds, raising concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest.

Other instances of poor financial oversight include over GHS 13,000 unaccounted for in a hotel refund for consultant Cary Summers, duplicated approvals for a US trip totalling over USD 28,000 and USD 20,500, and USD 17,000 paid under accountable imprest without supporting documentation.

Payments to bloggers and media houses also lacked proper financial approval, and a GHS 117,180 payment for the Board Secretary’s accommodation was made without substantiating documents.
These findings point to systemic weaknesses that contributed to the project’s financial mismanagement, prompting President Mahama to order a forensic audit to uncover the full extent of the irregularities.