The Attorney General has pointed out that, contrary to wild speculations by a section of society and elements within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Akufo-Addo administration did not misappropriate state funds in the construction of the National Cathedral.
The 7th and 8th Parliaments, according to the Attorney General, approved every funding advance towards the National Cathedral Project, and there has not been any form of financial underhandedness by the National Cathedral Secretariat.
The Attorney General’s assertion is contained in a statement of case in defence of a constitutional court action filed by one Jonathan Amable of Unity Lodge, Anloga, Volta Region. In his action, Mr Amable is seeking several declarations from the Supreme Court.
Among them is “a declaration that the financing of the National Cathedral’s construction from the Consolidated Fund, as a contingency vote matter, without the prior approval of the Speaker of Parliament and the Chairperson of the Council of State, was contrary to and contravenes Article 179(11) of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992.”
Additionally, the Plaintiff (Jonathan Amable) asked the Supreme Court for “a consequential order for the return of all monies which were unconstitutionally withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund to finance the construction of the National Cathedral, and any other reliefs or orders as this Court may deem just, convenient and proper to grant.
AG position
In the argument of the Attorney General in his defendant’s statement of case in answer to the claims of the plaintiff, which was signed by Dr Sylvia Adusu, Chief State Attorney for the Attorney General, the Attorney General cited the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 budgets presented to Parliament by the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, seeking various approvals which where granted.
“It can be concluded from the above (all the statements in the four budgets listed above) that Parliament approved the finances of the National Cathedral through the various budgets. In that regard, it is the defendant’s (Attorney General’s) submission that the consequential orders cannot stand,” the Attorney General’s statement of defence read.
Deloitte audit
International audit firm Deloitte, after over a year of independent scrutiny of the books of the National Cathedral of Ghana (NCG), confirmed that the Secretariat maintained up-to-date and accurate financial records of all its receipts and expenditures for the year ending December 31, 2020.
In a letter addressed to heads of churches and Christian leaders dated Tuesday, 24 September 2024, and signed by Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, chairman of the National Cathedral of Ghana Board, the NCG said it convened a meeting on Friday, 20 September 2024, for Deloitte to brief church leaders in the country on the statutory audit report from the inception of the project to the period ending 31 December 2020.
Thorough investigation
“This forms the first report of an ongoing statutory audit by Deloitte Ghana initiated by the Board. The audit for the year ended December 31, 2021, is also in progress, while the remaining audits, comprising the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2023, are planned for completion by the end of the year.
“The Board has been concerned by the length of time it has taken to complete the audit, which formally started in July 2023. However, upon receipt of the first report, we appreciate the meticulous audit processes adopted by Deloitte, including the thorough circularisation procedures that involved all parties related to monies received and expenditures on the project. The NCG communique at the time read.
“This has ensured that, one, the auditors have confirmed and corroborated all receipts and expenditures on the project since inception by all parties, including the state. Two, the auditors independently confirmed the donations received by NCG nationwide. Third, the auditors performed the relevant confirmations with all the financial institutions involved in the project.
“In the presentation, and in answers to questions after the presentation, the Auditors were categorical that there were no adverse findings, and ‘proper books of accounts have been kept and the information and explanation provided are in the manner required by the Companies Act, 2019 (922),” the NCG communique further read.
The Cathedral
Designed by the iconic Ghanaian global architect, David Adjaye, who designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture Museum in Washington DC, capital of the United States of America, our National Cathedral would provide an interdenominational space for worship and will serve to insert God at the centre of our nation-building efforts, providing an official venue of prayer for state occasions in a nation that is predominantly Christian, that is, a nation where more than 70% of the people are confessed Christians.
The National Cathedral will also serve as a fulcrum for propagating the Christian faith, unifying the Christian community, and paying tribute to religious liberty.
But, more importantly, it will serve as our collective thanksgiving to the Almighty for the blessings He has bestowed on our nation, sparing us the ravages of civil war that have bedevilled the histories of virtually all our neighbours, and the outbreak of mass epidemics.
Just as the building of the Temple of Solomon was an epoch-making event not only in Israel but also in the world, we believe the construction of the National Cathedral is an epochal event not only in Ghana but also across Africa.
Thus, although the National Cathedral was envisaged for Ghana, we have included elements to make it relevant to the African church.
The Design
The design of the National Cathedral carves out an identity for architecture rooted in African culture and Ghanaian heritage, and is a groundbreaking architectural expression of African Christianity. The concept for the National Cathedral is born of Christian architectural principles.
These principles frequently articulate proportion and orientation in multiples of twelve as a reference to the twelve apostles. The National Cathedral’s draped roof form draws from the great symbols of the chieftaincy institution and culture, such as the opulent boatman ceremonial canopies and umbrellas, traditionally used to shade and protect royalty.
The National Cathedral takes these symbols of royal and religious veneration and democratizes them from the individual to the people. The Cathedral’s colour palette and Adinkra-influenced gardens express a natural harmony and a sense of both Christian orthodoxy and Ghanaian cultural traditions.
Three primary colours are utilized throughout the scheme. Red, black, and white reference the Holy Trinity whilst speaking of the Ghanaian nation – Red representing the blood, black the spirit and heart, and white symbolizing the power of the Ghanaian people. Red has also been adopted for the new state ceremonial route connecting the Cathedral with Independence Square.
