AG threatens legal action against North-Tongu MP over National Cathedral allegations
A statement from Attorney-General Dame, says the allegations are “utterly false."
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame has said he might take legal action against the Member of Parliament for North-Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa if he refuses to apologise over allegations he made that Mr. Dame was registered as Secretary during the incorporation of the National Cathedral in 2019.
On Facebook and Twitter, Tuesday morning, Mr. Ablakwa wrote: “It is quite revealing to observe that when the National Cathedral was incorporated on 18th July 2019; the then Deputy AG, Godfred Dame was registered as Secretary. During that same period, he served on the board of the PPA which approved Adjaye’s irregular sole sourcing contract.”
However, a statement from Attorney-General Dame, says the allegations are “utterly false” and goes on to add that the approval for single sourcing of the contract to Adjaye and Associates was granted by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) on December 13, 2018.
Mr. Dame also said the National Cathedral was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (non-profit making entity) on July 18, 2022, indicating that its incorporation was in line with the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992).
“Quite clearly at the time of the approval by PPA, (on whose board I served in my former capacity as Deputy Attorney-General), no company known as the National Cathedral of Ghana had been formed for me to be Secretary of, or have any purported interest in to declare. I could not have had a so-called interest in a non-existent company.
If Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa had cared to read or examine the relevant documents well, as he should have, this plain fact would not have been lost on him,” he stated.
He further explains that his status as Secretary at the time of the company's incorporation was only on account of his status as Deputy Attorney-General and that no issue of conflict arises by virtue of him being Secretary to the company.
"Article 80 (3) of the Constitution prohibits a Minister of State from holding any other office of profit or emolument whether private or public unless with the permission of the Speaker.
The National Cathedral, registered as a company limited by guarantee is a not-for-profit entity, My role as Secretary is thus not caught within the ambit of article 80 (3). In any event, I have never received any emolument in my capacity as Secretary to the National Cathedral of Ghana."
It is quite revealing to observe that when the National Cathedral was incorporated on 18th July, 2019; the then Deputy AG, Godfred Dame was registered as Secretary. During the same period, he served on the board of the PPA which approved Adjaye’s irregular sole sourcing contract. pic.twitter.com/EVcLjkUEZv
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) June 21, 2022