President Mahama criticizes $400m National Cathedral Project, calls for reassessment

President John Dramani Mahama has raised serious concerns about the ongoing construction of the National Cathedral, questioning the justification for its proposed $400 million budget given Ghana’s current economic challenges.

Speaking at a Christian National Prayer and Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), President Mahama criticized the project as an ill-advised allocation of resources at a time when the country is facing significant financial difficulties.

He urged that the future of the National Cathedral project be reassessed, suggesting that alternative methods should be explored to construct such a national monument without putting undue strain on the public finances.

Drawing comparisons with Nigeria’s National Ecumenical Center in Abuja, President Mahama highlighted the vast difference in cost. He pointed out that while Ghana’s National Cathedral project is estimated at $400 million, Nigeria’s Ecumenical Center, which serves all Christian denominations, was built for just $30 million.

“On the future of the project, the National Cathedral, I believe that all of us as Christians must forge a consensus on how to achieve such a project without recourse to public funds. This project must be achieved at a reasonable cost. In the current circumstances that Ghana is going through, it makes no sense to achieve such a project for a whopping sum of $400 million dollars. I am informed that the National Ecumenical Center in Abuja, which is used by all Christian faiths in Nigeria, was built for $30 million,” President Mahama stated.

Originally proposed under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the National Cathedral project was envisioned as a grand Christian worship centre for Ghana. However, it has faced ongoing challenges, including funding issues, delays in construction, and criticism from various sectors. Critics have consistently argued that the use of state funds for the cathedral undermines the principles of secular governance and the separation of religion from state matters.

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