Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has stated firmly that the government will not commit any further public funds to the construction of the National Cathedral.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House on Monday, October 5, Mr. Ayariga said President John Dramani Mahama has also directed the dissolution of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral.
“Government is not going to put one single cedi in any further construction work at the National Cathedral site so no government money is going into the construction of a National Cathedral,” he stated.
The Minister said the decision is consistent with President Mahama’s earlier position that the state will not continue funding the project and that churches willing to pursue its construction could take responsibility for financing it.
Mr. Ayariga explained that with government no longer committing funds to the project, the existing Board of Trustees was no longer relevant as an agency of government.
“and the President has also directed the dissolution at the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral which was established to oversee the construction and because we don’t intend to have government money going into it, we don’t think the Board of Trustees remains relevant as constituted as an agency of government,” he said.
He said members of the Board have already been formally notified of their dissolution.
Mr. Ayariga further disclosed that the contractor has been directed to hand over the National Cathedral site to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
The Minister said the government’s next steps will depend on the Attorney General’s review of a forensic audit into expenditure associated with the initial plans for the National Cathedral.
The audit covers expenditure related to the project under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“The forensic audit that has been conducted into the expenditures related to the initial plans to construct the National Cathedral by President Akufo-Addo and then based on the Attorney General’s advice we know what the next steps are,” Mr. Ayariga added.
The National Cathedral was initiated under the Akufo-Addo administration as a major national religious and infrastructure project, with the government providing support for its construction.
The project subsequently attracted significant public debate over its financing, expenditure and progress.
President Mahama has previously maintained that the construction should not continue to depend on public funds, indicating that churches and other religious bodies that remain interested in the project could mobilise the resources needed to complete it.
