The Member of Parliament for the North Tongu, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has commissioned the uncompleted National Cathedral in an unconventional and satirical fashion today, the 6th of March 2024. The Member of Parliament had initially made known his intention in a post he made on his social media account on Tuesday, 5th March 2024.
The Member of Parliament together with other Members of Parliament and officials of the opposition NDC, however, were confronted by security personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Force who attempted to prevent them from accessing the National Cathedral site.
“It is intriguing to see the desperate attempt to stop us… I am glad however, that at the precincts of the World’s Most Expensive US$58million Pit, on the day President Akufo-Addo promised God, Parliament, and the Ghanaian people that he would commission his US$450million priority of priorities, National Cathedral project, we perfectly executed our accountability mission for God and Country”.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Hon. Samuel Ablakwa showed his gratitude to Ghanaians and the media present for their overwhelming support and solidarity during the ‘commissioning’ of the project.
Furthermore, the Member of Parliament demanded that the President, H.E Akufo Addo explain his failure to deliver on his promise – the promise to commission a completed National Cathedral on 6th March 2024 – to God, to Parliament, and the people of Ghana.
He indicated that the President must give a complete account of what the sum of GH₵ 740 million that was allocated for the project was used for. He stated that the President must also explain why the company, RIBADE JV, contracted to build the project, abandoned it.
Hon. Ablakwa also clarified that the President must present a report to Ghanaians and Parliament on the cost of relocating and compensating owners of the demolished properties that were at the site where the cathedral is currently situated. He indicated that the report must include the outstanding sum left to be paid.
“We note that the following properties were recklessly demolished on the orders of President Akufo-Addo: Bungalows for Judges, Judicial Training Institute, Passport Head Office, Scholarship Secretariat, Bungalows for CHRAJ, Walterstone Realty Luxury Apartment Complex, Headquarters of Comsys IT Firm and the Malian Ambassador’s Residence”.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Further Course Of Action
He further indicated that to avoid additional financial loss to the State, the contract for the National Cathedral must be terminated. He revealed that according to the contract Ghana would have to pay extension of time claims, standing time claims, and abortive and re-work costs due to the main contractor’s suspension.
Moreover, Hon. Ablakwa demanded that the National Cathedral must be closed with immediate effect and the Board of Trustees for the project must be dissolved as well. He disclosed that the National Cathedral Secretariat has received GH 225, 962, 500.00 for its operations.
He indicated that the NPP caucus in Parliament continues to sabotage an impending Parliamentary probe into the National Cathedral project after the House made a unanimous decision to conduct a probe. He accused the NPP in Parliament of delaying the submission of names of its members to the Speaker of Parliament for the probe to commence.
Consequently, the Member of Parliament appealed to the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to publish the outcome of their investigations following the January 16th, 2023 petition made by him, Hon. Ablakwa.
He demanded the prosecution of individuals who caused financial loss to the State concerning the National Cathedral project. He also demanded that the trustees of the project must account for every private donation made to the project.
Hon. Ablakwa suggested a national debate be held regarding the project. He indicated that the debate will help build a consensus on what becomes of the uncompleted National Cathedral project.
The President of Ghana and the former Minister of Finance promised during the 2021 budget reading that the National Cathedral will be completed and commissioned on the country’s Independence Day, 6th March 2024. Today marks the 6th of March 2024 and the President failed to deliver on the promise made to Ghanaians.
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