North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has intensified scrutiny of the controversial National Cathedral project, alleging serious irregularities and what he describes as “criminal identity theft” in the project’s U.S.-based fundraising wing.

In a detailed exposé shared on his official Facebook page on May 4, Ablakwa claimed that Ghana’s National Cathedral Secretariat used the personal details of a deceased Hispanic man, identified as Jose Salgado, to incorporate the National Cathedral of Ghana and obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in March 2021.

According to documents released by the MP, a letter from the IRS dated December 13, 2021, confirms that the EIN assigned to the U.S.-registered National Cathedral of Ghana is linked to Jose Salgado, who died in September 2014—seven years prior to the incorporation. Ablakwa argues this constitutes a federal crime under U.S. law and a grave diplomatic and ethical embarrassment for Ghana.

“The use of the Social Security Number of a deceased young male Hispanic to incorporate Ghana’s National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., is clear evidence of fraud,” Ablakwa asserted.

He further alleged that officials behind the incorporation were likely aware that Salgado’s death had not been flagged across all U.S. federal systems and deliberately exploited the oversight to facilitate registration.

Ablakwa cited the U.S. Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 (ITADA), warning that the alleged act may be prosecutable under federal law. He also condemned what he described as “sacrilegious” conduct in the establishment of a religious project, adding that the integrity of the clergy serving on the Cathedral’s Board of Trustees had been compromised.

“It is most unimaginable and absolutely sacrilegious that the incorporation of God’s Temple would be so desecrated,” he said in a statement.

“This is an international disgrace. One really wonders what else President Akufo-Addo is waiting for to dissolve the Board of Trustees, shut down the secretariat, cancel the contract, and launch a national inquiry into this appalling affair.”

The MP also revealed that the fundraising wing in the U.S. was registered under a different name and with separate “governors”, raising further questions about transparency and oversight.

Calls for accountability surrounding the National Cathedral project have intensified in recent months, with growing public concerns over financial management, procurement irregularities, and the project’s ballooning cost to the taxpayer.

As Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament, Ablakwa has consistently challenged the government on matters of diplomatic integrity, accountability, and the lawful conduct of international partnerships. His latest revelation may trigger investigations not only within Ghana but potentially by U.S. authorities as well.

The National Cathedral Secretariat and the Presidency are yet to respond to these new allegations.