Okudzeto Ablakwa has released a breakdown of Kempinski expenditure by the Cathedral Secretariat

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has released the breakdown of Kempinski expenditure by Cathedral Secretariat.

The MP says that the Secretariat's recent bad financial decisions make it hard to believe that the project will be finished by 2024 as planned.

After raising GHS794,990.01 at a fundraiser in the U.S., he revealed the Secretariat. "They then decided to host 2 Bible Museum of Africa symposia at Kempinski in Accra, which cost them GHS790,845.27," he said.

He Tweeted: “This is the breakdown of the infamous Kempinski expenditure as provided to Parliament by the Cathedral Secretariat.

Perhaps if this GHS790,845.27 & other diversions were channeled into actual construction, the contractors wouldn’t have stopped work due to lack of payment.”

Breakdown:

Accommodation, Conferences Hall and Banqueting  -GHS509,263.81

Travel Expense for Invited Guests – GHS157346.46

Printing and Stationery – GHS50,035.00

Performance (National Theatre) – GHS8500.00

Honorarium – GHS4850.00

Running Cost of Official Vehicle – GHS6500.00

Health and Safety – GHS400.00

Media and Publication  – GHS9400.00

Sundry expenses – GHS44,310.00

Carriage – GHS240.00

Total - GHS790,845.27

Earlier in his Facebook post he started:

“After we successfully blocked the GHS80million budgetary allocation for President Akufo-Addo’s Cathedral in Parliament; I have observed a spirited campaign by the National Cathedral Secretariat to woo private donors and assure the donor community that it can still meet its ambitious 2024 completion target.

The Secretariat’s track record gives me very little confidence in that regard. This is a Secretariat that raised the equivalent of GHS794,990.01 from its fundraising in the United States of America, and then decided to host 2 Bible Museum of Africa symposia at Kempinski in Accra which cost them GHS790,845.27.
In simpler terms, the Secretariat’s Kempinski expenditure is virtually everything raised from its US fundraiser, leaving only a measly GHS4,144.74 for actual construction. Any wonder the JV contractors, RIBADE Ltd have long abandoned site since March 2022 for lack of payment?”

The Secretariat, on the other hand, has not been bothered by the many problems that have come up during construction. Instead, they have increased their efforts to raise money.

The President, Akufo-Addo, recently gave GH100,000 to help with the building.