President John Dramani Mahama has announced that government will hold broad-based consultations with the Christian community on the future of the National Cathedral project once a forensic audit into the project’s finances is completed.
Speaking during a meeting with the Christian Council of Ghana at the Jubilee House, the President said the consultations will help the nation collectively decide the scope, cost and direction of the project.
“After the forensic audit is over, my intention is to have a broad-based consultation with the Christian community to see how we can build a decent place for worship,” he said.
President Mahama explained that although the Board of Trustees had already authorised an audit, his administration requested a more detailed forensic review to establish the full facts.
“We must know what happened before we go forward. We are waiting for the report, and once it is done, we can decide the way forward,” he stated.
While affirming his belief in building places of worship, the President questioned the previously estimated $400 million cost for the cathedral, describing it as excessive. He cited a major Christian centre in Nigeria that cost $40 million, suggesting Ghana could pursue a more reasonable and inclusive design.
“All of us must decide how we want to do it, what the scope should be, and how much it should cost,” he emphasised.
Christian Council Reaffirms Support for the Cathedral
Earlier, the Vice Chairman of the Christian Council, Rev. Enoch Nii Narh Thompson, urged government to remain committed to completing the National Cathedral. He said the Council still believed in the cathedral’s purpose as “a unifying symbol of faith, gratitude to God and moral renewal for our nation.”
Rev. Thompson recommended three actions: that government reaffirm its commitment to the project, ensure transparency in its financial administration, and develop a broad-based funding model involving churches, the private sector and international partners to ease the burden on the state.
He further called for the cathedral to be positioned as an inclusive, interdenominational national project that fosters unity.
The meeting ended with the President assuring the Council that any future steps taken will reflect national consensus and responsible stewardship.
