$58 Million Spent, a Stalled Site and a $400 Million Estimate: Ghana’s National Cathedral Becomes a Money Row

• Ghana’s president pledged to build an interdenominational national cathedral
• The estimate rose from $100 million to $400 million, and $58 million had been spent
• Most of the money came from public funds despite promises that donations would pay
• Construction on the 3.5-hectare site near Parliament stalled in June 2022

Ghana’s national cathedral, promised by President Nana Akufo-Addo as a gift to God, had become a political and financial controversy by 2023, Al Jazeera reported on April 18, 2023. “I made a pledge to almighty God…so I will help build a cathedral to his glory and honour,” the president said of the project.

The cost estimate rose from $100 million to $400 million, which Al Jazeera said had quadrupled because of inflation. About $58 million had been spent, predominantly from national coffers, even though the government had promised that donations would cover most of the expense.

The 3.5-hectare site sits 700 metres from Parliament. The government demolished several structures to clear it, including judicial bungalows, a passport office and private businesses. Construction stalled in June 2022. Opposition MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa estimated total costs could exceed $1 billion once compensation payments were included. Critics argued the money should go to health and education, two prominent Christian board members resigned citing mismanagement concerns, and others called for an audit before building resumed.

What was meant as a symbol of national faith had become, for many Ghanaians, a symbol of cost overruns and public money spent without the promised private backing.

Jamaica’s churches often build with a mix of member giving, diaspora donations and occasional public help. Ghana’s cathedral shows how quickly a building project can lose support when costs balloon and the funding plan changes. A fixed budget, an honest estimate that allows for inflation, and a clear promise about who pays are the foundations of any church construction project. So is openness: donors and taxpayers want to see where the money has gone before they give more.

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