The newly elected President of Ghana, John Mahama, has announced plans to investigate the controversial $400 million National Cathedral project initiated by his predecessor. Critics have highlighted the stalled religious landmark as a symbol of fiscal irresponsibility, raising concerns about its financial implications.
Media Talk Africa reports that Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the December election after voters ousted President Nana Akufo-Addo and his ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) due to allegations of economic mismanagement and rising living costs. The National Cathedral, originally envisioned by Akufo-Addo as a tribute to God for his 2016 electoral victory, was initially presented as a privately funded initiative. However, it has come to light that $58 million in public funds have already been spent, leading to public outrage over allegations of financial impropriety.
In response to these concerns, Ghana’s Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) recommended an audit of the project late last year, citing breaches in procurement processes. At a recent thanksgiving service, Mahama stated, “We will soon activate such an investigation.” While he did not dismiss the possibility of completing the cathedral, he suggested a more modest approach, emphasizing that future decisions will prioritize accountability and the national interest.
The cathedral, which occupies a 23,000 square meter site in the heart of Accra, was designed to include a 5,000-seat auditorium, chapels, a baptistery, a choir school, an art gallery, and multipurpose spaces. However, three years after construction stalled, the site remains an unfinished crater. Some analysts argue that the project played a role in the electoral defeat of Akufo-Addo and the NPP in December.
The suspension of the project comes at a time when Ghana is grappling with an economic crisis, characterized by high inflation, mounting debt, and reliance on a $3 billion IMF bailout to stabilize the economy. New Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson recently informed Parliament that public funding for the cathedral has been halted as part of broader efforts to reduce wasteful expenditure. He stated, “The government cannot justify pouring scarce resources into an unfinished project when Ghanaians are struggling to afford basic necessities.”
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