‘Money spent on Cathedral could have completed Agenda 111 Hospitals’ – Attorney General

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has questioned the amount of public funds spent on the controversial National Cathedral project, saying the money could have been used to complete some of the hospitals under the Agenda 111 programme.

Dr Ayine disclosed that the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit report on the National Cathedral project was presented to him last Friday and revealed “staggering amounts of money” spent on the project.

Speaking at the district launch of the Free Primary Health Care programme in the Bolgatanga East Constituency, Dr Ayine said the expenditure on the National Cathedral raised concerns about the allocation of scarce public resources.

“The report reveals staggering amounts of money spent on the project,” he said, adding that the funds could have been channelled into completing some of the Agenda 111 hospitals.

Agenda 111 was introduced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a major health infrastructure programme. It was launched during the COVID-19 period to address gaps in healthcare infrastructure and provide hospitals in districts without adequate facilities.

The programme initially targeted the construction of 101 district hospitals, alongside other health infrastructure projects, with the aim of improving access to healthcare across the country.

Dr Ayine’s comparison of the National Cathedral expenditure with the Agenda 111 hospitals has renewed public attention on government spending priorities and the management of public funds.

He said the resources committed to the National Cathedral could have contributed to completing some of the hospitals, which he suggested would have provided essential healthcare services to communities.

The National Cathedral project has been the subject of public debate over the years, particularly regarding its financing and the use of public funds.

The PwC audit report is therefore expected to provide further details on the expenditure associated with the project and could intensify calls for transparency and accountability.