The Attorney-General’s Department has come out swinging in defense of the government’s handling of finances for the National Cathedral project, pushing back against a Supreme Court challenge that calls the moves unconstitutional.
The case stems from a 2024 lawsuit filed by private citizen Jonathan Amable, who wants the court to rule that dipping into the Consolidated Fund for the cathedral’s construction—without getting the green light from the Speaker of Parliament and the Council of State’s Chairperson—breaks Article 179(11) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution. He’s also pushing for a full refund of any cash pulled out that way.
In their response, government lawyers argue the transactions were above board and in line with the law, aiming to shut down the claims and keep the project moving.
This isn’t the first time these kinds of money moves have stirred the pot. Back in the day, the opposition Minority—under Cassiel Ato Forson and Mahama Ayariga—sounded alarms over the Bank of Ghana quietly bankrolling central government spending without Parliament’s nod. That drama spotlighted things like treasury bills and a chunk of the $5 billion COVID-19 relief bond, which Amable is now dragging into the spotlight too.
The Supreme Court hearing is set to dive deeper, with both sides gearing up for a showdown over taxpayer cash and constitutional boundaries.
