North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that the government has finally done what is right regarding the National Cathedral project by capturing a specific allocation of GH₵80million in the 2023 Budget for approval.
Prior to the budget presentation, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta had denied the allegation that he withdrew funds from the Contingency Fund for the National Cathedral project.
He told the 8-member ad hoc committee that was investigating the allegations made against him by the Minority, that it was rather funded from the Contingency Vote that was used for the project.
The Contingency Fund and the Contingency Vote, he said, were two different things altogether which should not be confused.
“I did not withdraw funds from the Contingency Fund for National Cathedral,” he told the committee on Friday, November 18.
He added, “The withdrawals were lawfully done from the Contingency Vote and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the proponents.”
In a tweet, after the 2023 budget presentation on Thursday, November 24, Mr Ablakwa said “After all the lawlessness, deception and dishonesty about the National Cathedral being a Contingency Project; the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/Ofori-Atta govt has finally been forced to do what is right by capturing a specific allocation of GHS80million in the 2023 Budget for approval.”
