The government has raised concerns over financial irregularities and duplicated responsibilities involving The Nehemiah Group, a foreign consultant engaged in the National Cathedral project.
At a press briefing held at the Jubilee House on Friday, Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu disclosed that an audit into the project uncovered multiple breaches in contract management and financial accountability linked to the dealings between the National Cathedral Secretariat and The Nehemiah Group, represented by Mr. Cary Summers.
According to him, although the original contract signed on March 9, 2020, was meant to last one year and be renewed by mutual agreement, there was no formal renewal. Despite this, the group continued to receive payments, totalling USD 523,521.03—an apparent violation of contract governance protocols.
He added that The Nehemiah Group also received USD 110,630.56 to organise fundraising events in Houston and New York, which, according to the audit, yielded no results in terms of donations or investments.
“This raises serious concerns about the prudence of expenditure and the absence of performance-based accountability,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu stated.
More troubling, he said, was the overlap in roles between The Nehemiah Group and another subcontractor, Kubik Maltbie. While The Nehemiah Group was responsible for coordination and oversight during Phase 1, Kubik Maltbie was separately contracted for similar services at a cost of USD 592,500.
“This figure represents approximately 87% of the total USD 675,000 paid to The Nehemiah Group over the same period,” he noted. “It indicates a clear case of paying two entities for the same work, with no clarity on who was actually doing the work and who may have taken government money unjustifiably.”
The audit further highlighted an additional USD 24,498.17 paid to The Nehemiah Group in reimbursable expenses unrelated to construction oversight, further exposing weak financial controls.
“These findings reflect poorly on project oversight and raise broader concerns about accountability and the effective use of public resources on a project of national significance,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu added.
Government has pledged to act on the audit findings and ensure that all parties involved are held accountable.
