I was not consulted on National Cathedral project – Kufuor reveals

Ghana’s former President John Agyekum Kufuor says he was completely excluded from conversations about the National Cathedral project, despite its national importance and the widespread public debate it has triggered.

Speaking to Deloris Frimpong Manso popularly known as Delay in an interview on The Delay Show aired on Sunday, the former President stated unequivocally that he played no role in the planning or approval of the project and was never invited to offer advice.

“I was not consulted on the National Cathedral project. I don’t attend Cabinet meetings. All of a sudden, you realise something was going on,” he said.

Kufuor explained that, at the outset, he assumed the cathedral was a private initiative led by individuals seeking to honour God.

The former Ghanaian leader who is widely regarded as one of Ghana’s best presidents since its independence added that it was much later that he learned the state had allocated land for the project and that public buildings had been pulled down to prepare the construction site.

“I thought it was a private initiative. Later, I was told government lands were being used and buildings had been demolished,” he recounted.

Background to the controversy

Announced in 2018, the National Cathedral was introduced by President Akufo-Addo as a personal pledge to God and a national monument intended to serve as a non-denominational Christian worship centre.

Government provided a prime stretch of land at Ridge in Accra and authorised the demolition of state structures, including the residences of some judges, to pave the way for construction.

However, the project soon became one of the most contentious national conversations. Critics raised concerns about the use of taxpayer funds, the lack of parliamentary approval, the demolition of public property, and the transparency of procurement and contract processes.

For more than a year now, work on the cathedral has stalled due to financial setbacks and unresolved controversies, leaving the partially completed structure abandoned.

Credit: adomonline