Cathedral Executive Director Paul Opoku-Mensah (left) and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
The National Cathedral Secretariat has responded to the latest installment of allegations against their registration processes of a fundraising wing in the United States.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in episode 2 of his Cathedral Scandal publications alleged that the secretariat in registering the US wing used the details of a dead Hispanic man, one Jose
He referenced a US social security number as provided on the registration papers he had secured and other cehcks to arrive at that conclusion.
The Secretariat, however, in rebutting the claim explained that the MP had misquoted two different tax numbers as used in the US.
They accused Ablakwa of quoting a different Social Security Number to run checks on the corporate institution, which are by law provided with Tax ID numbers.
The release was signed by Executive Director to the National Cathedral of Ghana, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah.
The relevant portions explaining Ablakwa's mistake were as follows: "3) In arriving at this so-called Identity theft, the MP distorts the information on the registration documents by taking the Taxpayer ID number: 86-3859197 (Appendix 1), and disingenuously changes it to the social security number, SSN: 863-85-9197 belonging to a deceased named, Jose Salgado (Appendix 2). He then proceeds to accuse the National Cathedral of using the "stolen" identity of the deceased to register.
"4) For the record, the Taxpayer ID Number is issued for corporations and is separated by one dash, to wit, 86-3859197. This taxpayer ID Number is derived from the Employment Identification Number (EIN), which is applied for, as the first step in the application for a tax-exempt status (See appendix 3).
"5) The Social Security Number (SSN), on the other hand, is issued to individuals, and is separated by two dashes, to wit, 863-85-9197. Even if the numbers are the same, because of the dashes, they mean different things. Thus, the taxpayer ID (86-3859197) is not the same thing as the social security number (863-85-9197)."
Ablakwa has yet to comment on this release, he dismissed an earlier one that sought to explain five allegations he leveled against the secretariat in the first episode of what he says is a seven-part series.
Read the full release from the secretariat below:
THE USA "BOMBSHELLS" OF SAMUEL OKUDZETO ABLAKWA, MP: UNRAVELLING THE USA "IDENTITY THEFT" HOAX!
1) Following the publication of the Vol 1 of the of the so-called "bombshells" on the National Cathedral's activities in the USA, the MP for North Tongu and Ranking member on Foreign Affairs in Ghana's Parliament, Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa followed up with "Episode 2" this morning, Thursday May 4, 2023 at 6.09am
2) Titled "Episode 2 of "National" Cathedral Scandals-America Edition", it is prefaced, once again, by such lack of knowledge of the US system. As a Ghanaian, I find it extremely embarrassing to see these expressed by the Ranking Member of Foreign Affairs in the Country's Parliament. The main body of Episode 2, however, is the malicious accusation that the National Cathedral is guilty of the serious crime of "identity theft" in the registration of the National Cathedral Foundation in the USA. (https://twitter.com/S_OkudzetoAblak/status/1654005225835884544).
3) In arriving at this so-called Identity theft, the MP distorts the information on the registration documents by taking the Taxpayer ID number: 86-3859197 (Appendix 1), and disingenuously changes it to the social security number, SSN: 863-85-9197 belonging to a deceased named, Jose Salgado (Appendix 2). He then proceeds to accuse the National Cathedral of using the "stolen" identity of the deceased to register.
4) For the record, the Taxpayer ID Number is issued for corporations and is separated by one dash, to wit, 86-3859197. This taxpayer ID Number is derived from the Employment Identification Number (EIN), which is applied for, as the first step in the application for a tax-exempt status (See appendix 3).
5) The Social Security Number (SSN), on the other hand, is issued to individuals, and is separated by two dashes, to wit, 863-85-9197. Even if the numbers are the same, because of the dashes, they mean different things. Thus, the taxpayer ID (86-3859197) is not the same thing as the social security number (863-85-9197).
6) But, this distortion is neither the result of an accident, nor of ignorance. It reflects the modus operandi of the MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. All his so-called "National Cathedral scandals" are distortions of information on the project!
7) As we have consistently argued, and repeated in our Press Release of yesterday May 3, 2023, "the National Cathedral Project has been implemented with integrity, and with no criminality. As with the recklessly-populist and reputationally-damaging accusations of the McCarthy era in the USA, the misinformation and distortions on the National Cathedral project will - ultimately - unravel!
8) The unraveling of the so-called "Identity Theft" is just the beginning!
Meanwhile, watch the latest episode of People and Places on GhanaWeb TV below:
