The National Cathedral project in Ghana has found itself embroiled in yet another financial controversy following an audit conducted by Deloitte and Touche. The audit revealed a series of questionable rent payments totaling $103,000 made to Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, a prominent clergyman who served as a supervisor for the project. This amount, equivalent to GHS1,500,000, was discovered within financial documents submitted by the Cathedral’s management. The revelation has sparked concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of funds dedicated to this significant national endeavor.
The rationale provided by the Cathedral for these payments was that Rev. Kusi Boateng, a resident of Kumasi, required accommodation in Accra to effectively oversee the project. The audit findings detail a rental agreement for a property at Glover’s House in Cantonments, spanning from January 2021 to December 2022. The agreement stipulated a monthly rent of $4,500, but the actual payments made amounted to only $3,000 per month. This discrepancy between the agreed-upon rent and the amount disbursed raises immediate questions about the financial management practices within the project.
The total rent payments were broken down into four periods: $22,500 from January to May 2021, $31,500 from June to December 2021, $27,000 from January to June 2022, and $22,000 from July to December 2022, summing up to the aforementioned $103,000. Adding to the controversy, the audit report highlights the absence of supporting documentation to substantiate the validity of the rental agreement or to demonstrate the necessity of providing accommodation for Rev. Kusi Boateng. This lack of transparency fuels suspicions of potential financial irregularities and raises concerns about the due diligence exercised in managing public funds.
The controversy surrounding Rev. Kusi Boateng’s involvement in the project is further compounded by a separate, ongoing scandal related to his alleged use of multiple identities. This pre-existing controversy casts a shadow over his role within the Cathedral project and intensifies public scrutiny of his financial dealings. The confluence of these factors – the questionable rent payments, the lack of supporting documentation, and the pastor’s ongoing identity scandal – creates a perception of impropriety and erodes public trust in the project’s management.
Critics have seized upon the discrepancy between the stipulated rent of $4,500 and the actual payments of $3,000 per month as evidence of potential mismanagement of funds. The unanswered questions surrounding this difference, combined with the lack of transparency in the rental arrangement, give rise to speculation about the whereabouts of the remaining $1,500 per month. The absence of a clear and satisfactory explanation from the National Cathedral Secretariat regarding these issues further exacerbates public concerns and fuels distrust.
This latest revelation of questionable financial dealings adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding the National Cathedral project. The project, envisioned as a national landmark, has faced increasing scrutiny over its financial practices and transparency. The government has acknowledged allegations of misappropriation of millions of Cedis and dollars, prompting a separate audit by the Ghana Audit Service. This ongoing investigation underlines the gravity of the situation and the need for a thorough and impartial examination of the project’s finances. The continuing controversies threaten to undermine the project’s legitimacy and erode public support for what was intended to be a symbol of national unity and faith.
