The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, has disclosed that the independent audit commissioned by the government into the National Cathedral project is still ongoing. Dr Srem-Sai explained that the audit is focused on determining the extent of funds that were spent without proper legal approval and to establish how much of those expenditures may be recoverable.
“Monies were spent which did not get the right or proper approval — the legal approval. That is why I said they are auditing to quantify that amount of money spent without the right or proper approval,” he told host Bernice Abu-Baidoo Lansah.
A Separate and Independent Process
The Deputy Attorney-General clarified that this independent audit is different from the figures already circulating in the public domain. He explained that while various reports have highlighted the total amount spent on the cathedral, the ongoing audit seeks to disaggregate that information and isolate expenditures that lacked the appropriate authorisation.
“What we have in the public domain is information generally saying that we have spent this amount of money, but not that the whole amount is criminal. A component of it was spent without proper approval — that is what we are zeroing in on,” he said.
According to Dr Srem-Sai, external auditors have been engaged to conduct the exercise independently and report their findings to the government.
“The investigations are ongoing. What we have now is a question of auditing, so we have engaged external auditors who are trying to quantify how much is recoverable,” he added.
Priority vs. Legality
Dr Srem-Sai also touched on the public backlash surrounding the National Cathedral project, noting that the issue has been largely one of national priorities rather than criminality.
“Don’t forget that the main issue with the National Cathedral was one of priority. Ghanaians were angry with the project because it came at a time when things were hard — people’s pensions were not being paid, people were getting haircuts, and yet we were building a cathedral,” he observed.
“That was the main point of the anger, but that is not a crime — it’s a question of government priority.”
Background
The National Cathedral project, first announced in 2018, was intended as a national place of worship and a symbol of unity. However, it has faced intense scrutiny following reports of cost overruns, contractual irregularities, and unauthorised spending.
Earlier this year, the Board of Trustees assured the public that the project had not been abandoned, but admitted that progress had slowed due to funding challenges and the ongoing audit.
Dr Srem-Sai’s comments mark the government’s latest attempt to provide clarity on the matter, as Ghanaians await the final audit report that will determine whether any funds were misused — and if any recoveries or prosecutions will follow.