An audit by Deloitte and Touche has revealed that the National Cathedral project had been making rent payments totaling $103,000 to Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, a prominent clergyman, for his role in supervising the national cathedral project.
The amount which is the Cedi equivalent of GHS1,500,000 was uncovered in financial documents submitted by management following an audit.
The Cathedral claimed the payments were justified on the grounds that Rev. Kusi Boateng resides in Kumasi and required accommodation in Accra to oversee the National Cathedral project.
According to the audit findings, the payments covered a rental agreement for a property at Glover’s House (31 5th Link Road, Cantonments) from January 2021 to December 2022.
The agreement stipulated a monthly rent of $4,500, though only $3,000 per month was paid, totaling $22,500 for the first period (January to May 2021), $31,500 for the second (June to December 2021), $27,000 for the third (January to June 2022), and $22,000 for the final period (July to December 2022).
The revelation has raised eyebrows, as no supporting documentation was provided to verify the rental agreement or the controversial clergyman’s need for accommodation.
The same pastor has been at the center of a double identity scandal that has been raging on for some years.
Critics question the discrepancy between the agreed $4,500 monthly rent and the $3,000 actually paid, suggesting potential mismanagement of funds. The National Cathedral Secretariat has yet to comment on the audit’s findings or clarify the arrangement.
The national cathedral project, intended to be a national landmark, has faced scrutiny over its financial dealings. Government has said several millions of Cedis and dollars were allegedly misappropriated and has commissioned the Ghana Audit Service to conduct a new audit.
Source: mynewsgh
