Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that money spent on the controversial National Cathedral project could have been used to complete some of the hospitals under the government’s Agenda 111 programme.
According to Dr. Ayine, a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit report on the National Cathedral project was presented to him last Friday and contains details of the funds spent on the project.
Speaking at the district launch of the Free Primary Health Care programme in the Bolgatanga East Constituency, he said the findings have raised questions about the government’s spending priorities, particularly in the face of uncompleted health facilities.
Dr. Ayine cited the unfinished Agenda 111 hospital in Bolgatanga East, saying he had pushed the Health Minister to ensure that the facility was included in the programme for completion.
He said the information obtained from the Health Ministry confirmed that the Bolgatanga East facility had been included among the hospitals earmarked for completion.
“And when he asked his people, his IT people to pull it up, there was Bolga East Zorongo listed on it.”
The Attorney-General then compared the government’s investment in the National Cathedral with the need to complete critical health infrastructure across the country.
“So Mr. President, it is better to complete Agenda 111 than to spend money on a national cathedral.”
Dr. Ayine’s comments come amid renewed public debate over the National Cathedral project, its expenditure and the need to account for funds committed to its development.
He said the issue had also gained renewed attention following fresh calls and messaging from some prominent religious figures regarding the National Cathedral.
“Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you may laugh, but there has been a resurgence in messaging about a national cathedral by very eminent religious people.”
Referring to the PwC report, Dr. Ayine said the expenditure on the project could have been directed towards completing district hospitals.
“I want to say this, the money that was spent on the national cathedral from the report of PwC that was presented to me just last Friday and Mr. President, I’m sorry about this because I have not briefed you on it yet, but I have the report.”
He criticised the manner in which the project had been handled and questioned whether it reflected the appropriate approach to a religious project.
“You don’t build a house of God in the manner in which they went about it. That is all that I can say.”
Dr. Ayine concluded by stressing what he described as the opportunity cost of the expenditure, particularly for healthcare infrastructure.
“But an important message is that the money could have been used to complete the district hospital.”
The Agenda 111 project was initiated to provide hospitals across districts without hospitals and improve access to healthcare.
Several of the facilities have remained incomplete, making funding for their completion a key issue in discussions about Ghana’s healthcare infrastructure.
