Akufo-Addo’s govt paid David Adjaye GHS32 million for consultancy on National Cathedral – Ablakwa alleges

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has alleged that the government paid a whopping GHS32 million to Sir David Adjaye and Associates for consultancy on the National Cathedral.

He said the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government authorized this payment in 2021.

In a post on social media, the NDC lawmaker shared a document indicating the payment and the alleged work done.

“Documents from the Office of the President confirm that in 2021 alone, Prez Akufo-Addo authorised an astonishing GHC32million of taxpayer funds to be paid to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd for consultancy on his National Cathedral project”, he wrote.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa also leaked a letter authorizing payment of GHS25 million from the Ministry of Finance as seed money for the cathedral earlier in the week.

The release has led to disagreements between the Minority Caucus in Parliament and the government.

The Minority said it is not even aware of the procurement processes that were followed in the release of the funds.

“MPs have not approved all of these colossal sums of money that are being released to companies we are seeing for the first time.”

“We are not even aware of the procurement processes that were followed for these companies and these consultants, who are today receiving hundreds of millions of Ghana cedis,” Mr. Ablakwa said at a press conference on Thursday, June 2.

However, the Deputy Finance Minister accused the Minority of crying wolf where there is none.

He stated that the “misinterpretation and the spin that the Minority is putting on it [National Cathedral] is what is creating the issues.”

“This GH¢25 million contribution is also a payment to the priority project of the government and they [Minority] don’t determine what is a priority for President Akufo-Addo and his government,” he said in an interview with JoyNews.

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