President John Dramani Mahama has responded to a request by the Christian Council of Ghana to continue the construction of the National Cathedral, stating that he is awaiting the outcome of a forensic audit into the project.
The outcome of the audit, he noted, would determine whether his administration would invest in the controversial project.
He made the remarks after a team from the Council, led by Vice Chairman Rev. Enoch Thompson, paid a courtesy call on him at the Jubilee House, on November 18, 2025.
Rev. Thompson observed that although the country is aware of the economic challenges, completion of the project and its proper management could become a lasting spiritual and cultural landmark.
The delegation proposed three recommendations: that the government reaffirm its commitment to the project, that funding be broadened to include churches, private sector players, and international partners, and that the cathedral be firmly positioned as an interdenominational national symbol that unites Ghanaians.
In his response, the President stated that the National Cathedral’s Board of Trustees had already commissioned and published a regular audit, the findings of which raised enough concerns to warrant a deeper, independent investigation.
“The board of trustees ordered an audit into the accounts of the National Cathedral. The audit was published and there were some issues that bubbled out of it,” he said.
“There are two kinds of audits. There is a normal audit where you choose your auditor. Then there is a forensic audit. We got a copy of the first audit, and as President I directed that a forensic audit be conducted. We want to know what happened, and so we are waiting for that report. Once the forensic audit is completed, we can decide on the way forward.”
He added “I am a Christian and believe that building a house where we can worship God is a good thing,” he said.
He went in stating that “I do believe in an inter-denominational place where we can worship, but it must be done in consultation with all of us. All of us must decide how we want to do it, what the scope is, and how much it should cost.”
“At this time and age, with all the problems we have, $400 million to build a cathedral is excessive,” he noted.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
