Charles Owusu Juanah
DISTINGUISHED INTERNATIONAL lawyer, Charles Owusu Juanah, has called on Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications, to apologise to the Christian community for spreading falsehoods during his recent press conference addressing controversies surrounding the National Cathedral project.
Mr. Juanah, addressing journalists at a press conference in Accra, stated that Felix Kwakye Ofosu’s briefing on the National Cathedral audit findings misrepresented the facts.
“The gentleman claimed that the cathedral board mismanaged funds, which is untrue. For instance, $15.7 million was paid to consultants employed by the presidency, not by the Trust. He also mentioned a $4.5 million discrepancy, but it referred to unsettled monies during the audit period, which were later justified through documents. However, he chose to present this information misleadingly,” he disclosed.
He further emphasised that regarding funding, all monies received from external sources were accounted for, saying, “When the cathedral project slowed down, over $400,000 had been received and utilised for its purposes. This funding served as seed money to support the project.”
Addressing issues of the cathedral being a promise of former President Nana Akufo-Addo and his seed money contribution, he stated that, “If the President decides to provide seed money for a project, like building a National Cathedral or a Hajj Village, it’s within their mandate to do so without needing to justify the source of funding.”
He added that, “Ghanaians gave the President the mandate to build the National Cathedral after he promised to do so during the elections. The necessary documents were provided to the auditors, and explanations were made. The audit report did not indict the trustees.”
Mr. Juanah mentioned that the only issue raised by the audit was about Mobile Money (MoMo) payments, amounting to around GH₵40 million, which were made through a platform set up by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
He added that, according to the ADB, these payments failed and never reached the National Cathedral’s accounts or the trustees’ hands. “It’s unfair to label this as embezzlement; instead, questions should be directed to the ADB and the state about what happened to those funds. Calling it embezzlement is false and untrue.”
Kwakye Ofosu had claimed what he described as a disturbing pattern of financial irregularities, procurement breaches, unsupported expenditures, and a general lack of due process in a report prepared by Deloitte and Touche on the operations of the National Cathedral Secretariat.
He indicated that the audit report revealed discrepancies in consultancy fees paid to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Limited for the National Cathedral project, citing a variance of GH¢4,932,091.14 between the Office of the President’s records (GH¢113,040,564.86) and the firm’s reported receipts (GH¢117,972,656.00).
However, payment records show the Ministry of Finance paid GH¢87,938,750.00, and the Office of the President made additional payments totaling GH¢30,033,906.00, which matches the firm’s reported receipts of GH¢117,972,656.00.
He noted that the formal agreement with Ribade JV states a contract sum of $261,965,660, excluding taxes and levies. However, the Office of the President cites a higher figure of $286,465,660, resulting in a $24.5 million discrepancy. Furthermore, the August 2024 Progress Status Report quotes the contract amount as $268,500,000, while the Intern Payment Certificate estimates the final contract value at $283,230,489.
He mentioned that these inconsistent figures indicate a lack of coherence and clarity in contract administration and project cost control.
Meanwhile, Charles Owusu Juanah stated that what has unfolded in the public arena is a calculated campaign of misinformation; politically motivated, legally unfounded, and morally unworthy of those who claim to serve the public interest.
“These statements are false accusations and distorted narratives that have sought to malign a sacred national initiative and the reputation of those who have served it with humility and honour,” he said.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke