National Cathedral: CHRAJ Suggests A Forensic Investigation

After looking into claims of corruption and abuse of power, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has suggested a forensic examination of the National Cathedral project and the prosecution of its trustees.

The findings, which were presented in a report dated November 22, 2024, were the result of a petition filed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the MP for North Tongu, who expressed concerns regarding the project’s transparency and adherence to Ghana’s procurement regulations.

Breach of Procurement

During CHRAJ’s investigation, several infractions of Ghana’s procurement regulations were discovered, particularly when the building contract was awarded to Ribade Company Ltd. The contract was deemed “void ab initio” by the report due to its failure to comply with the essential provisions of the Procurement Act (Act 663, as amended by Act 914).

CHRAJ recommended the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) discontinue the contract in its recommendations.

“The Board of the Public Procurement Authority should intervene to cancel the contract for the construction of the National Cathedral between the National Cathedral and Ribade Company, as it has the power to do so under the Procurement Act.”

Financial Issues and Forensic Audit

Furthermore, the Commission asked the Auditor-General to look at the project forensically. As of May 31, 2022, GHS225,962,500.00 had been spent in total, including symposia, consulting fees, US fundraising, contractor mobilisation, and site preparation. CHRAJ expressed concerns about value for money, pointing out that the project is still ongoing.

“This sum of money has been expended on-site preparation, contractors’ mobilisation, US fundraising, consultants, and symposia,” the report stated.

Value for money is a requirement of the public interest in project execution. Regretfully, given that the project is still in the same state, this Commission lacks the knowledge necessary to assess whether the investment was worthwhile.

Risks to Reputation

CHRAJ underlined the potential damage to Ghana’s reputation, citing the involvement of Ribade Company Ltd. and the project’s international profile. The report states that violating procurement laws could lead to international disgrace.

Demand Legal Action

The Commission recommended additional investigation and potential prosecution of the National Cathedral’s Board of Trustees for awarding the contract in violation of procurement laws.

“The Commission further recommends further investigation and possible prosecution of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, who superintended the award of the contract to Ribade Company in disregard of Act 663 as amended,” said the report.

Context

The National Cathedral Board of Trustees secretary, Reverend Victor Kusi-Boateng, was the subject of a January 2023 petition by Okudzeto Ablakwa to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate possible conflicts of interest, including holding multiple identities, and other misconduct.

According to the petition, which was accepted by the two CHRAJ deputy commissioners, Rev. Kusi-Boateng moved GH₵2.6 million in cash from the National Cathedral Secretariat to JNS Talent Centre Limited while posing as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

The petition

The petition sought to investigate the “odious conflict of interest” involving Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng’s position on the national cathedral board, where he “literally paid his own company a staggering GH¢2.6 million for no work done,” using the CHRAJ’s jurisdiction under Article 218 of the 1992 Constitution, according to Ablakwa.

Rev. Kusi-Boateng, the creator of Power Chapel Worldwide, was the same person as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, who received the GH¢2.6 million from the national cathedral board, Mr. Ablakwa said.

To be clear, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi is not a separate entity. Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng is the criminal creator of Kwabena Adu Gyamfi. Consequently, the two are identical,” Ablakwa claimed in a statement posted on his Facebook wall prior to the petition.

Records show that Kwabena Adu Gyamfi and Sheila Eshun were also directors of JNS Talent Centre Limited, Ablakwa said.

“From unassailable and irreproachable documents in my possession, Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng, aka Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, uses multiple passports and multiple identification cards with different names and different dates of birth as his special modus operandi.”