Okudzeto Ablakwa pursuing malicious political agenda - Reverend Kusi Boateng

Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, Secretary of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees, has responded to allegations levelled against him by the Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

According to the founder of Power Chapel Worldwide, statements made by Mr. Ablakwa are a twisted narrations of events to pursue a "malicious political agenda".

"There has never been any criminal intent nor any crime committed in my dealings with the Government of Ghana or the National Cathedral," he said in a statement.

"I look forward to the CHRAJ enquiry during which I will present my side of the matter to the Commission. I will subsequently also address the matters fully in public without first seeking to prejudice the public mind as he has done.

"When all is done, I will seek redress against Mr. Ablakwa for his deliberate defamatory statements against me," he added.

CHRAJ Petitioned

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the Secretary of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees, Reverend Victor Kusi-Boateng, over conflict of interest, including possession of multiple identities and other alleged criminal dealings.

The petition, which was received by the two Deputy Commissioners of CHRAJ yesterday, also alleged that there was a transfer of GH¢2.6million cash from the National Cathedral Secretariat to JNS Talent Centre Limited owned by Rev. Kusi-Boateng under his secondary identity, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

The petition sought to invoke the mandate of CHRAJ under Article 218 of the 1992 Constitution to investigate the “odious conflict of interest” in regard to Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng’s position on the national cathedral board as he “literally paid his own company a staggering GH¢2.6million for no work done”.

Rev. Kusi-Boateng, who is also the founder of Power Chapel Worldwide, according to Mr Ablakwa, was the same person as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, who received the GH¢2.6 million from the national cathedral board.

National Cathedral responds

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the National Cathedral, Dr Paul Opoku Mensah, has in a statement refuted allegations of corruption and conflict of interest against the Secretary to the Board by the North Tongu MP.

Dr Opoku Mensah explained that the said amount which was paid on September 8, 2021, was a loan from a board member whose name he fell short of mentioning.

“So, this is not an illegal payment,” Dr Opoku Mensah stated.

“This is a documented trail that you can always ask for verification. If the MP does not understand an issue in the accounting, because in accounting somebody with an audited account cannot explain everything so they call you to clarify,” it said.

Dr Opoku Mensah’s statement added that “I really understand the political mistrust in our system, but nonetheless, particularly when it comes from Parliament, you expect a certain due process and when you are suspicious, you ask for verification and clarification.”