Ghana: Mahama rules out public funds for completing the National Cathedral

The head of state also announced that the forensic audit of the project’s expenditures had been completed and was with the Attorney General. He indicated his intention to provide a copy of the report to the Christian Council of Ghana so that the organization could review the processes that led to the expenditures, which he estimated at nearly $90 million, and discuss potential corrective measures.

Mahama clarified that he did not oppose the principle of a National Cathedral, but viewed the project as a personal commitment of his predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo, rather than a public policy to be funded by the state. He believed that Christians in Ghana and their organizations could gather the necessary resources.

This stance comes on the heels of the announcement by the Christian Council of Ghana regarding the establishment of a technical committee tasked with exploring a revival of the project. According to reports from MyJoyOnline and Citi Newsroom, this committee has one month to propose a funding model and make recommendations on the location and other outstanding issues.

The Ghanaian presidency had previously announced in July 2025 the dissolution of the Cathedral’s secretariat and requested a forensic audit following a Deloitte audit covering the period from 2021 to 2023. The government had then initiated steps regarding the main contract and indicated that the project’s future would be reassessed in light of financial controls.

Mahama also reiterated his criticisms regarding the choice of site, which is located in a central area of Accra where several public institutions and facilities are situated. He cited ten judges’ residences, the residence of the Malian ambassador, and the former passport office among the buildings demolished to clear the project’s footprint.