The Member of Parliament for North Tongu has claimed once more that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta released GH142 million for the 2020 building of the National Cathedral.
The release, according to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, was for the project's "scheduled operations."
According to him, the publication was made at the request of the Presidency's Chief of Staff, Madam Frema Osei Opare.
In 2020, the Finance Minister set aside 142 million dollars for 'planned activities' at the National Cathedral. - Ablakwa asserts
The congressman claimed that GH200 in unlawful monies had been handed to the project in a social media post on Wednesday, June 8.
"On the request of President Akufo-Chief Addo's of Staff, Ken Ofori-Atta sanctioned the transfer of a massive GHS142.7 million for national cathedral 'scheduled events' on October 29, 2020."
"So far, GHS200 million has been spent on unconstitutional releases."
In 2020, the Finance Minister set aside 142 million dollars for 'planned activities' at the National Cathedral. - Ablakwa asserts
The outspoken congressman has been on a mission to prevent the project's unbudgeted monies from being released.
In reality, he previously stated that in 2021, the government gave GH32 million to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Limited.
John Kumah, the Deputy Finance Minister, has justified the charge.
He said the money came from the budget of the President's Office.
As a consequence, he stated that the money was legitimate.
"It may form part of government expenditure even if it is not documented as a budget item since it is not under any specific MDA," he added, "as long as we have caught it in the budget that we were going to offer seed cash."
Problems with the project recently
The project has been a source of contention in recent days, after the government's allocation of GHC25 million to the National Cathedral Secretariat as extra seed money for the project.
The revelation caused a rift between the administration and the Minority Caucus in Parliament.
The administration claims that the release is not budgeted for, notwithstanding the Minority's claims.
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