The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has launched investigations into alleged financial impropriety linked to the controversial National Cathedr
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has launched investigations into alleged financial impropriety linked to the controversial National Cathedral project, focusing on payments reportedly authorized by former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
In its 2025 half-year report released on Tuesday, August 19, the OSP disclosed that it is probing suspected corruption and corruption-related offences surrounding the procurement of contractors and materials, as well as payments made by the National Cathedral Secretariat.
The inquiry specifically covers transactions allegedly sanctioned by Ofori-Atta during his tenure as Finance Minister.
The National Cathedral project, championed by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been mired in controversy since its inception in 2018.
Initially promoted as a symbol of national unity and faith, the project has faced public backlash over lack of transparency, ballooning costs, and allegations of mismanagement.
Civil society groups, opposition parties, and religious leaders have repeatedly demanded accountability over state funds channeled into the project.
The OSP’s latest report signals a renewed focus on holding public officials accountable for financial decisions tied to the project.
According to the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, the investigation forms part of broader probes into corruption across multiple state institutions.
These include contractual arrangements between the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and Tema Energy and Processing Limited, as well as TOR’s management operations between 2020 and 2024.
The report also revealed ongoing investigations into the large-scale sale of appointment letters to prospective teachers, a scheme allegedly involving the laundering of proceeds, as well as suspected extortion within the National Commission on Culture in relation to staff salary arrears between 2020 and 2024.
In his preface to the report, Kissi Agyebeng underscored the OSP’s commitment to pairing enforcement with preventive measures.
He argued that corruption cannot be tackled solely through punitive action but must also involve asset recovery, legislative reforms, and systemic prevention.
“The nation’s anti-corruption legal framework requires re-imagination, modernisation, and retooling to address the immense scale and complexity of modern corruption,” Agyebeng wrote.
He added that the OSP has proposed a new chapter in the Constitution dedicated to the fight against corruption, which would empower institutions to conduct lifestyle audits, strengthen asset declarations, and recover ill-gotten wealth without the need for conviction.
The OSP is also advocating for the passage of a Corrupt Practices Act and a Conduct of Public Officers Act as part of its long-term anti-corruption agenda.
Additionally, the office is working with partners to implement the new National Ethics and Anti-Corruption Strategy.
While Ken Ofori-Atta has not publicly responded to the OSP’s announcement, his name has frequently surfaced in public discourse regarding the National Cathedral, with critics questioning his role in approving state financing for the project despite earlier assurances it would be funded primarily through private donations.
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