Audit report shows no theft, National Cathedral Secretariat fires back at gov’t

The Executive Director of the National Cathedral of Ghana (NCG), Paul Opoku-Mensah, has fired back at what he calls a misleading attempt by government communicators to fuel public suspicion over the Cathedral project.

In an internal memo dated July 21, 2025, Paul Opoku-Mensah accused the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Ofosu Kwakye of selectively presenting aspects of the Deloitte and Touche audit to the media—ignoring official responses from the Secretariat and muddying public understanding of the audit’s real findings.

He explained that while the minister highlighted only the Management Letter—which contains operational queries and internal recommendations—the actual Audit Report confirmed that “all state funds to the project are accounted for,” with disbursements made based on valid contracts and actual work done.

“This is accurate,” he stated. “Contrary to the claims that money was only used to dig a hole, the Audit Report shows where every cedi went. No misappropriation was found.”

However, Opoku-Mensah clarified that the audit was not meant to “exonerate” individuals, but rather to assess compliance and performance.

The memo, addressed to National Cathedral staff, urged internal stakeholders to read both the audit and management reports thoroughly to grasp the full picture before the NCG Board convenes a press briefing.

This revelation comes just days after the July 18 government press conference sparked renewed controversy over the delayed and polarising Cathedral project—often criticised as a symbol of waste under the current administration.

Read the memo in full below:

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