Story by Lilian Owusu-Mensah
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has stated that David Adjaye, the internationally acclaimed British-Ghanaian architect, should not have been contracted to design the National Cathedral project when he had not been enrolled on the register of architects.
According to him, David Adjaye was not a member of the Ghana Institute of Architects prior to his appointment as the architectural designer and consultant for the National Cathedral.
“It is only on the 26th of April 2022 that David Adjaye was legally allowed to practice in Ghana, and yet a year prior, he had been giving ¢32 million. Only this year, 26th April, I have the publication here from the Daily Graphic, and it says David Adjaye inducted Architects register.”
Speaking to Kafui Dey on GTV Breakfast Show, on Monday, June 13, 2022, the MP said the induction service of David Adjaye into the Ghana Institute of Architects was done in the office of the Minister for Works and Housing, Honourable Francis Asenso-Boakye.
“The Works and Housing Minister was there. It was done in his office,” the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament stated.
He added that a lot of Architects he has spoken to, expressed shock since this is the very first time such an induction service has been done in the office of the Minister for Works and Housing.
“Many architects I have spoken to are very surprised this is the first time a special induction has been done in the Works and Housing Minister’s office,” he added.
Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa stated that, since the contract was given without recourse to the public procurement law, there isn’t the need to take public funds.
“David Adjaye was given this contract without recourse to the Public Procurement Law. If it’s not a public project, you don’t take out money from the consolidated fund.”
