Ghana’s putative national cathedral is once again at the centre of attention – and not for the right reasons.

The project is now a key focus of President Mahama’s Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee, which is investigating allegations of corruption involving individuals closely associated with the cathedral, including former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

Originally announced nine years ago by then-President Nana Akufo-Addo during the 2016 election campaign, the project was initially estimated to cost $100 million. Over time, that estimate ballooned to $400 million.

Despite assurances that funding would come exclusively from private sources, significant amounts of public money were spent. The cathedral was envisioned as a symbol of national unity, religious freedom, and Ghana’s biblical heritage. Yet none of these goals materialised during President Akufo-Addo’s eight years in office.

Today, the project remains incomplete—little more than a vast excavation in a prime area of central Accra, formerly home to state buildings, judges’ residences, and financial institutions.

Economic Crisis and Mounting Criticism

As Ghana grappled with a prolonged economic crisis—culminating in a $3 billion IMF bailout in 2024—public sentiment increasingly turned against the project. Although inflation eased somewhat following the bailout, it remained high at 23.5% as of January 2025.

Construction came to a standstill when contractors refused to continue without payment, leaving the site idle and symbolically empty.

The Investigations

Upon assuming office in January 2025, President Mahama made no firm commitment to completing the cathedral. At a thanksgiving service on 12 January, he stated:

“The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) directed government to audit the project and investigate any misuse of public funds. We will soon activate such an investigation.”

CHRAJ has already criticised the National Cathedral’s Board of Trustees for procedural failings, including the absence of minutes from key meetings. One such meeting involved an alleged agreement with JNS Talent Centre Limited to advance a loan of GH₵2.6 million—a transaction at the heart of a conflict-of-interest case involving board member Reverend Victor Kusi Boateng. In his defence, Boateng stated:

“Our modus operandi is that we agree among ourselves and not to take minutes of directors’ meetings.”

In November 2024, CHRAJ concluded that the cathedral’s construction contract was illegally awarded and flagged serious corruption concerns.

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has since confirmed that no further public funds will be used, stating before a parliamentary committee:

“We will work to cut off wasteful expenditure, and the national cathedral project is one of them.”

Given the persistent lack of substantial private donations over the past nine years, and with public funds now ruled out, it appears the cathedral has reached the end of the road.

If that is the case, former President Akufo-Addo’s vow to complete the cathedral as a gesture of thanks to God for his election in 2016 will remain unfulfilled.

ORAL and the Pursuit of Accountability

One of President Mahama’s first actions in office was to establish the ORAL committee. In just a few weeks, it has received over 200 corruption complaints, totalling more than $20 billion in alleged misappropriated funds. President Mahama has directed the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to pursue these cases vigorously, pledging that Ghana will no longer be a haven for corruption.

On 12 February, Ken Ofori-Atta—Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024—was briefly declared a wanted fugitive. Although he has since been removed from the wanted list, he remains under investigation.

Ghana’s Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has accused Mr Ofori-Atta of causing financial loss to the state in several high-profile transactions. This includes the alleged unauthorised release of $58 million in state funds for the cathedral—currently under intense scrutiny for financial mismanagement, procurement violations, and lack of transparency.

As the ORAL investigations unfold, Ghana awaits clarity not just on Mr Ofori-Atta’s role, but on the broader web of accountability surrounding the national cathedral project.

Until then, there can be no closure. For now, the national cathedral remains a testament to how the personal vision of one leader—former President Akufo-Addo—could not be realised in a time of economic hardship and public scepticism.