The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has revealed that the forensic audit into the National Cathedral project is nearing completion, with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) having carried out substantial work on the assignment.
Speaking to the media during the Government Accountability Series on Monday, December 22, Dr Ayine explained that the audit was commissioned on the directive of the President after consultations involving the Attorney-General’s Department, the Auditor-General, and the Minister for Finance.
“After we met, and subsequently held discussions at the Ministry of Finance, it was decided that we should speedily engage a private audit firm to conduct the forensic audit,” he stated.
Dr Ayine clarified that his office does not procure non-legal services, stressing that the forensic audit fell outside the Attorney-General’s mandate.
“I cannot procure a forensic audit. Usually, if I am procuring services, they will be legal services, and there is no precedent of an Attorney-General procuring non-legal services,” he explained.
He added that since the exercise is a financial audit under the supervision of the Auditor-General, the Minister for Finance directed the Auditor-General to engage an audit firm, leading to the appointment of PwC.
According to Dr Ayine, PwC is close to completing the assignment.
“The last time I checked, they wrote to my office, this was last week, requesting a meeting with me to understand some issues that are germane to the audit work. They have done significant work and are getting to the end of their work,” he said.
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