The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has expressed deep concerns about the government’s handling of the National Cathedral project, pointing to the abandonment of work at the construction site since March 2022.
He also highlighted irregularities in the release and expenditure of public funds and raised questions about accountability.
Hon. Ablakwa’s statement calls for transparency, urging the government to listen to the people and reassess its priorities, particularly as the country faces labor agitations and economic challenges.
Hon. Ablakwa emphasized that work on the National Cathedral project had been halted, and the site had been abandoned.
The cessation of work was confirmed by a letter from the consortium responsible for the project. who wrote to its staff in March 2022, informing them that they were being sent home due to non-payment by the government. He noted; “Since March of 2022, all workers at the site have gone home.”
The abandonment of the project has raised questions about the government’s commitment to completing the National Cathedral and whether public funds should continue to be allocated to a project that has been stalled for over a year.
Misuse of Public Funds
He noted that the funds were not even being used for the project, as the contractors had sent their staff home.
“You withdraw $58,100,000 illegally. Without parliamentary approval. And apparently, the money was not even going to the contractors.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency
This revelation has sparked outrage, particularly as it contradicts the government’s earlier claims that the project would be funded not using public funds. Ablakwa stressed the government’s inconsistency in this regard.
“Didn’t the government tell us, that they were not using public funds? That this whole effort is a voluntary effort? Was that not what the president told this country?”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency
Despite the project being abandoned, the government has continued to pay hefty salaries to top officials, with Ablakwa revealing that in the past 31 months, three top officials had received over GHS 2.2 million in wages.
He questioned the ethics of such payments at a time when workers across the country are agitating for better conditions.
Lack of Accountability and Transparency
Hon. Ablakwa also raised concerns about the lack of transparency in auditing the National Cathedral project.
“According to this breakdown, you are only auditing 0.13% of the releases, less than 1%. So how does anybody audit 0.13 percent… and come to tell us that you have been cleared?”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency
He called for the publication of the full audit report and criticized the government for not following due process in its handling of public funds. He added; “Publish the report. Don’t give us your own interpretation of the audit report.”
Call for Action and Accountability
Hon. Ablakwa did not shy away from expressing his expectations of a future government.
“I foresee a future NDC government under the visionary president John Dramani Mahama from 7 January 2025, and the operation recovers all loot, demanding that people refund all this money.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency
He further stated that such a government would prioritize stopping wasteful expenditures and would ensure that the country’s scarce resources are used more prudently.
Hon. Ablakwa’s Statement emphasized a strong message to the current administration, urging them to listen to the people of Ghana, who are becoming increasingly frustrated with the government’s mismanagement of resources.
“The people of this country have had it. There is outrage out there. It’s so palpable, so tangible, the anger, all [that] the people deserve is some respect. Listen to them.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency
Hon. Ablakwa’s statement reflected the growing discontent among Ghanaians about the mismanagement of national projects and public funds.
His call for transparency and accountability serves as a reminder that the government must prioritize the needs of the people over wasteful expenditures.
The abandonment of the National Cathedral project, coupled with the misappropriation of funds, has become a symbol of broader concerns about governance in Ghana.
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