Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Dr. Nana Agyemang Badu II, the Dormaahene and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to institute a full-scale investigation into the National Cathedral project, particularly the reported $58 million spent on its construction so far.
The traditional ruler expressed concern over the financial irregularities and lack of transparency surrounding the project, saying Ghanaians deserve to know how their money has been used. Speaking at a durbar in Sunyani during former President Mahama’s ‘Thank You’ tour on Friday, May 30, the Dormaahene said no individual or institution, regardless of status or title, should be shielded from accountability.
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“If the law is dealing with my friend Chairman 1 [Wontumi], then the same must apply to those behind the National Cathedral expenditure,” he said. The National Cathedral, which was announced in 2017 as a national monument to be constructed in the capital, has been the subject of criticism after several reports revealed huge sums of money had been spent without clear progress on the structure.
Recent disclosures by civil society groups, including the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition and IMANI Africa, show that over $58 million in public funds have gone into the project, yet only a massive pit and partial foundation work can be seen at the site.
Calls for investigations have intensified, especially after the resignation of key members of the Cathedral’s Board of Trustees and revelations of sole-sourced contracts and lack of parliamentary approval for some expenditures.
The Dormaahene said a thorough, independent probe would help restore public confidence and ensure that those found culpable face the full rigours of the law. “We cannot preach accountability only when it suits us. This matter concerns the whole nation, and people are angry. If we fail to act, we betray the trust of the people,” he added.
He said the cathedral, which was meant to symbolise national unity and spiritual heritage, has instead become a source of division and mistrust.
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