Ghana’s newly elected President, John Mahama, has announced plans to probe the $400 million National Cathedral project initiated by his predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo, describing it as a contentious symbol of fiscal mismanagement.
The ambitious religious landmark, which has been stalled for years, became a major point of criticism during the last election.
Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) secured a decisive victory in December, as voters punished Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party (NPP) for economic hardship and skyrocketing living costs.
Originally conceived by Akufo-Addo as a tribute to God following his 2016 electoral win, the cathedral was presented as a privately funded venture.
However, revelations that $58 million in public funds were spent on the project, coupled with allegations of financial irregularities, sparked widespread outrage.
In late 2024, Ghana’s Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) recommended an audit into the project, highlighting procurement violations.
According to AFP, President Mahama confirmed at a recent thanksgiving service that his administration would soon launch an investigation.
While not ruling out completing the project, he stressed that any future decisions would emphasize accountability and align with the nation’s priorities.
The cathedral, envisioned to occupy a 23,000-square-metre site in Accra, was designed to include a 5,000-seat auditorium, chapels, a baptistery, a choir school, an art gallery, and versatile spaces.
Yet, three years after construction halted, the site remains an empty pit. Many critics believe the project contributed significantly to Akufo-Addo’s electoral defeat.
“This cathedral represents everything wrong with governance – opaque processes, lack of accountability, and misplaced priorities.
“Investigating this project isn’t just about the money; it’s about restoring public trust in government,” said a campaigner with Crusaders Against Corruption, Emmanuel Wilson Jnr.
The project’s suspension coincides with Ghana’s economic struggles, marked by soaring inflation, unsustainable debt levels, and dependence on a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout to stabilize the economy.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson recently informed Parliament that government funding for the cathedral had been halted as part of broader austerity measures.
“The government cannot justify pouring scarce resources into an unfinished project when Ghanaians are struggling to afford basic necessities,” Forson stated.
With contractors abandoning the site due to unpaid bills and at least five board trustees resigning, public confidence in the project has dwindled further.