Ablakwa slams Rev Prof Martey for silence on National Cathedral project 'scandals'

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has taken a swipe at the former moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ghana Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey over his silence on issues regarding the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana.

According to him, Rev Prof Marty, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cathedral, has remained silent despite the numerous allegations of corruption that the project has seen.

In a Facebook post shared on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, the MP indicated that it is shocking that the clergyman who criticised the government of former President John Dramani Mahama so much is still on the Board of Trustees and is silent.

“Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey has been the most quiet member of the infamous Akufo-Addo’s Cathedral Board of Trustees. Unlike some of his colleagues who have either resigned or written to demand an independent forensic audit, he has been hiding in the shadows supporting Akufo-Addo’s grand heist against God and the Ghanaian people.

“Who could ever have predicted that after all his vitriolic and blistering attacks on President Mahama and his government, the hitherto loquacious Rev. who once screamed in search of “Nyansafo)” would today see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil about the world’s most expensive and sacrilegious US$110million pit,” parts of his post reads.

Ablakwa's expose on the National Cathedral:

View the post below:



BAI/OGB

Ablakwa, in his latest exposé on the National Cathedral, alleged that the architect for the National Cathedral of Ghana, Sir David Adjaye, was paid an additional $6 million just for amending the original design of the cathedral to include a restaurant.

In a series of tweets shared on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, the MP slammed the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government for its continued failure to prioritise the needs of the country given the current economic hardships.

Ablakwa could not believe that the government which says it has no money to pay school feeding caters, can afford to pay for works on the cathedral.

The MP shared a supposed document from the Ministry of Finance showing the said payment.

“Please refer to your letter No. SCR/DE3/296/02 dated 27th April 2021 requesting the release of US$5.817.769.65 (Five Million, Eight Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty- Nine US Dollars, Sixty-Five Cents) to pay consultancy fees in respect of the Variation Orders for the inclusion of 300+ Seater Restaurant and Expansion of the Bible Museum on the National Cathedral Project.

“We wish to suggest that due to budgetary constraints, the request in respect of the Variation Orders be charged to your funding source while Government take steps to provide additional funding for the project in the course of the year,” parts of the document read.

He has also accused the secretary to the board of Trustees of the Cathedral, Rev Victor Kusi Boateng of operating a double identity under the pseudonym Kwabena Adu Gyamfi for criminal purposes.

Ablakwa alleged that the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral had deceived public officers to obtain two passports, under his two names as well as Tax Identification Numbers, Birth Certificates and driver’s licenses.

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