President John Mahama is asking Ghana’s Christian establishment to forge consensus on a project poisoned by audits, politics and distrust – and decide what survives.
The National Cathedral in Accra, conceived by former president Nana Akufo-Addo as a personal pledge to God, has become a symbol of political mistrust. By the 2024 election, the project’s excavation had turned into an opposition campaign issue, with Mahama promising a forensic audit and broad consensus on its future. Now, with Mahama back in office, his government has asked Ghana’s Christian leaders to decide its next steps.
Key Players in the Christian Task Force
The task force includes figures from Ghana’s major Christian denominations, each with distinct influence. Rev. Enoch Nii Narh Thompson, chairman of the Christian Council, and Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, are central to shaping a unified stance. The Christian Council, established in 1929, brings together 26 member churches and three Christian organisations, while the Catholic Church accounts for about 10% of Ghana’s population, according to the 2021 census sample. Apostle Eric Nyamekye of the Church of Pentecost and Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) holds significant mobilization power, given his church’s 4.46 million members in Ghana as of 2025. Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast and current cathedral board vice-chair, and Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, a prominent charismatic leader, add institutional and spiritual weight to the group.
Who’s on Mahama’s Christian task force to decide on
Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose, general secretary of the Christian Council, has pledged to mobilize funds, stating, Christians in Ghana are prepared to help finance the project.
The Council, which has begun preparations for its centenary celebration, has drafted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs for an environmental care and cleanliness programme, though it remains unsigned. Apostle Prof Opoku Onyinah, a former Church of Pentecost chairman and current board chairman of the cathedral, remains under scrutiny after CHRAJ’s 2024 decision called for further investigation into trustees involved when the main construction contract was awarded.
Mahama’s Vision and Political Calculus
Mahama Ayariga, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has emphasized the need for a unified Christian front to revive the cathedral. He cited the National Mosque as a model, arguing that religious communities could mobilize resources locally and internationally. Ayariga, who opposed the original site due to its impact on judicial residences, stressed that his concerns did not equate to opposition to the project itself. A similar level of unity among Christian organisations can provide the foundation for raising the resources needed to advance the National Cathedral project,
he said.
The Minister also highlighted environmental sanitation as a priority, calling for collaboration with the church to address Ghana’s waste management challenges. He noted the church’s role in education, healthcare, peacebuilding, advocacy and governance, stating, The church’s extensive presence across communities and its moral influence could be instrumental in mobilising citizens to adopt responsible sanitation practices.
Rev. Dr. Fayose confirmed the Council’s readiness to partner with the Ministry, adding, Removing political considerations surrounding the project could make its completion possible.
Mahama Ayariga pushes for unified Christian front to revive
Challenges and Controversies
The cathedral’s legacy is fraught. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church’s deep ties to the initiative—through Archbishop Palmer-Buckle—complicate calls for accountability. The 2024 CHRAJ decision called for further investigation into the project’s trustees, though no finding of criminal guilt was made against Onyinah.
Religious leaders face pressure to balance moral authority with political pragmatism. The task force’s recommendations, expected within a month, could determine the project’s fate. If they advocate for revival, the government may seek international funding and rebrand the cathedral as a national symbol. A redesign or relocation could mitigate political backlash, while abandonment would mark a symbolic defeat for Mahama’s accountability pledges.
For now, the Christian Council and its allies hold the keys. As Fayose stated, A similar level of unity among Christian organisations can provide the foundation for raising the resources needed.
Whether this unity translates into action remains unclear, but the stakes are high: the cathedral’s future is a test of Ghana’s capacity to reconcile faith, politics, and public trust.
