President John Dramani Mahama has ruled out using taxpayers’ money to finance the completion of the National Cathedral, arguing that Christians in Ghana and abroad can raise the necessary funds.
He made the position clear during his Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region on Saturday, September 12, stressing that his objection was not to the construction of a National Cathedral but to its financing through public funds.
President Mahama said the project did not form part of the national policies inherited from the previous administration because it originated from a personal pledge by former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Projects and policies we inherited, we have continued the only one is the National Cathedral. But that was not a national policy. It was a personal pledge by the former president. It was a personal pledge by the former president to God,” he said.
He suggested that Christians could collectively finance the project through contributions.
“How many Christians are in this country? If we all pay a thousand cedis each, we should be able to construct a National Cathedral,” he stated.
The President also disclosed that a forensic audit into about $90 million spent on the project had been completed and was awaiting action by the Attorney-General.
“The forensic audit is ready; it’s with the Attorney General, and I’ll make a copy of it available to the Christian Council so that they can look at the processes of what went into the expenditure of the $90 million,” he said.
His comments come as the Christian Council works on a possible new approach to the project. The Council has formed a technical committee to develop a practical funding model and make recommendations on the proposed location within one month.
Mahama Ayariga, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has also backed further discussions with Christian leaders, saying the government is not opposed to Ghana having a National Cathedral but that there should be consensus on its location, cost and financing.
Mr. Ayariga has separately indicated that he is prepared to help mobilise funds if the Christian community wants the project to continue and it receives the necessary backing from President Mahama.
