The new government of Ghana has launched an investigation into the country's controversial National Cathedral.
Conceived by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's administration in 2018 as part of the country's 60th independence anniversary, the project was to be a national Christian worship centre with a major conference hall for hosting big national events.
However, the project sparked a huge controversy, with many Ghanaians saying it was a misplaced priority amid economic challenges and given the multi-religious nature of the Ghanaian society.
It now faces scrutiny under the leadership of Ghana’s newly sworn-in President John Mahama.
Whopping sum
President Mahama announced on Sunday that the project would be investigated as recommended by the country's Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
Central to the debate is the project's staggering estimated cost of $400 million, which President Mahama also questioned during a church service.
“In the current circumstances that Ghana is going through, it makes no sense to achieve such a project at a whopping sum of $400 million. I am informed that the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, which is used by the Christian faith in Nigeria, was built at the cost of $30 million,'' Mahama said.
Beyond service
This comparison has fuelled public discussion about financial prudence, especially given Ghana’s current economic climate.
The previous government was criticised for prioritising the project, but it defended it, saying it would be funded by donations and not from public coffers.
Current President Mahama also rejected the idea of government funding the huge project.
The National Cathedral was originally presented as more than just a place of worship.
It was envisioned as a “sacred national infrastructure,” a venue for state funerals, presidential inaugurations, and other significant national events of a religious nature, according to the cathedral website.
Quick action
The proposed 23,000 sqm site was planned to house a 62,450 sqm cathedral complex, including chapels, a baptistery, a 5,000-seat auditorium, a music and choir school, an art gallery, a shop, and multipurpose spaces.
The cathedral’s design, conceived by the acclaimed Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye OBE, aimed to blend contemporary architectural principles with African artistic traditions.
The project has stalled in recent years as Ghana grapples with its worst economic challenges in decades. But the debates linger on.
President Mahama's quick move on the project, just days after his inauguration, further highlights its significance in national discourse.
The investigation now throws the future of the National Cathedral into further uncertainty.
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