Climax TV
President John Dramani Mahama has maintained that taxpayers’ money will not be used to finance the construction of Ghana’s National Cathedral, insisting that the Christian community should be able to mobilise funds for the project.
Speaking during a citizens’ engagement in the Upper West Region, President Mahama said he has “nothing against having a national cathedral” but objected to the use of public funds and the location of the project.
“My second problem was that we shouldn’t use taxpayers’ money.”
He argued that Ghana’s Christian community could raise the necessary funds, saying, “How many Christians are in this country? If we all pay 1,000 cedis each, we should be able to construct a national cathedral.”
On the location, he said: “My principle has always been that the location has been a problem.”
The President said the area already accommodates major public facilities, including Parliament, the International Conference Centre, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and the National Theatre, warning that adding the Cathedral would “constrict that wholearea.”
He also criticised the demolition of properties to clear the site, including 10 judges’ residences, the Malian Ambassador’s residence and the old passport office.
“The amount of destruction we had to cause to clear the area; broke 10 judges’ residences. We broke the Malian Ambassador’s residence. Up to now, we’ve not replaced it.”
President Mahama further disclosed that the forensic audit into the National Cathedral project has been completed and is currently with the Attorney General.
He said the Christian Council would receive a copy to examine the expenditure of what he described as “90 million dollars.”
“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 dollars.”
He maintained that the National Cathedral was not a national policy inherited from the previous administration but “a personal pledge by the former president to God.”
His comments come after the Christian Council of Ghana announced the formation of a technical committee to explore funding options, a possible new location and other measures to revive the stalled project.
