Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has voiced his criticism against the leadership of the National Cathedral for endorsing the payment of salaries to the cathedral trustees, even though the project has been suspended.
Hon. Ablakwa lamented that the government continued to use the taxes of suffering Ghanaians to pay salaries for a prolonged period of 31 months after the National Cathedral project was abandoned.
He expressed his deep concern over what he described as a gross misuse of public funds, especially given the economic hardships faced by many citizens.
Ablakwa criticized the government for its apparent disregard for the financial struggles of the people, arguing that the funds could have been better utilized for essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.
“You spend over US$ 58 million to dig the world’s most expensive pit…and this is your best response to Ghanaians demanding an end to this cruel wastage and plunder? God’s holy image doesn’t deserve this”.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
The North Tongu MP further asserted that Ghanaians certainly do not deserve such “ungodly impunity and utter disrespect.”
He emphasized that the continuous misuse of public funds, despite the abandonment of the project, reflects a blatant disregard for the citizens’ welfare and trust.
Hon. Ablakwa argued that the government’s actions show a lack of accountability and transparency, which undermines public confidence in the leadership.
He expressed disappointment that the leadership of the National Cathedral project, alongside the government, would allow such financial mismanagement to persist for over two years while ordinary Ghanaians are struggling with rising costs of living and economic hardship.
Ablakwa underscored the need to demand greater accountability and urged government officials to show more respect for taxpayers by ensuring that public resources are allocated to projects that directly benefit the people.
Contractor Ended Agreement Following Cathedral Suspension
Furthermore, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa highlighted that RIBADE, the private contractor responsible for constructing the National Cathedral, promptly terminated its agreement with workers on March 14, 2022, when it became evident that the project had been suspended.
He argued that this action by the contractor demonstrates the absurdity of continuing to pay the cathedral trustees, especially when even those directly involved in the construction had ceased operations.
According to Ablakwa, this further underscores the lack of justification for the government’s decision to allocate public funds for salaries despite the project’s suspension.
“Contrast this with the theory of Bawumia’s top Campaign Advisor, Joyce Aryee, who describes calls to stop cathedral payments as ridiculous.
They wouldn’t be paying people for 31 long months over an abandoned project if Ghana was their private company. Was this the protection of the public purse, President Akufo-Addo promised?”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Hon. Ablakwa revealed that, based on his thorough tracking of the National Payroll Database, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has regrettably planned to continue these unjustifiable payments to the cathedral trustees beyond December 2024.
He criticized the government’s stubborn commitment to these expenditures, describing them as unconscionable, especially in the face of widespread economic hardship.
Ablakwa expressed deep concern over the government’s refusal to prioritize the welfare of Ghanaians, emphasizing that the ongoing misuse of public funds for a stalled project demonstrates a clear lack of fiscal responsibility and accountability.
He emphasized that the upcoming December 7 election is a critical opportunity for Ghanaians to vote out the NPP, as the NDC has pledged to restore accountability and transparency through its “Operation Recover All Loot” (ORAL) initiative.
According to Hon. Ablakwa, this plan represents Ghana’s only hope for recovering misused funds and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.
He urged citizens to seize this chance to bring about change and restore trust in the management of the nation’s resources.
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