The government has requested that the Auditor-General conducts a forensic audit into the national cathedral project after it said an audit conducted by Deloitte & Touche did not cover the full scope of operations of the National Cathedral Secretariat and the project itself.
This was disclosed during a press briefing on Friday by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of Government Communication.
Kwakye Ofosu, meanwhile, stated that the Deloitte report reveals a disturbing pattern of financial irregularities, procurement breaches, and unsupported expenditures.
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“From unexplained payments to discrepancies in contract values, weak internal controls, and questionable governance practices, the National Cathedral project has strayed far from the principles of accountability and fiscal discipline,” he said.
The audit by Deloitte, which covered the Secretariat’s operations from December 31, 2021, to December 31, 2023, revealed that total payments and commitments related to the project stand at $97 million, far exceeding earlier public estimates of $ 58 million. Of this, $39 million remains outstanding to the contractor, despite work having stalled at the site for years.
“The audit report reveals troubling discrepancies in consultancy fees paid to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd. for the mobilisation and design of the National Cathedral of Ghana. While the Office of the President confirms a total payment of GHS 113,040,564.86 only, the firm reports having received GHS 117,972,656.00 — a variance of GHS 4,932,091.14 that remains unexplained,” the Minister noted.
Kwakye Ofosu also disclosed that President John Mahama has already dissolved the National Cathedral Secretariat, effective May 1, 2025, and legal measures are now being taken to formally dissolve the Board of Trustees.
The national cathedral project was started in 2017 under the previous Nana Akufo-Addo government. But the project continues to remain a dug-out site.
Download and read the full Deloitte and Touche Audit Report on the National Cathedral here.https://t.co/C9ZCDHlk6N
— Felix Kwakye Ofosu (@FelixKwakyeOfo1) July 18, 2025