President John Dramani Mahama has reignited the national conversation about Ghana’s stalled National Cathedral, and on one fundamental point, I respectfully agree with him: a personal pledge made by a President to God should not automatically become a national pledge imposed on the Ghanaian taxpayer.
President Mahama recently explained that although his administration intends to continue inherited policies and projects that serve the national interest, he does not regard the National Cathedral in the same category. He described its origin as former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s personal pledge to God rather than a national policy binding successive governments.
This distinction deserves careful consideration beyond NDC and NPP politics.
A Personal Promise to God Is Personal
Former President Akufo-Addo’s desire to build a cathedral as an expression of gratitude to God may have been sincere. Every individual has the right to make a personal commitment based on his or her faith.
But when a personal religious promise begins to require substantial public resources, the matter changes.
There is a difference between saying, “I promised God that I would do this,” and saying, “Ghana has promised God that we will do this.”
No individual President—regardless of party—should be able to transform a personal spiritual covenant into an obligation binding millions of citizens without an appropriate national policy process.
Ghana is bigger than any President.
That is why I agree with President Mahama’s distinction between an inherited government project and an individual’s personal pledge.
I Am a Christian, But That Does Not Change the Principle
My position should not be interpreted as opposition to Christianity or to the idea of Christians building a magnificent place of worship.
I am a Christian myself.
Indeed, President Mahama has similarly said he has nothing against having a National Cathedral. His objections concern, among other things, using taxpayers’ money and the suitability of the present location.
That is an important distinction.
One can support Christianity while questioning whether taxpayers should finance a particular religious project.
Ghana belongs to Christians, Muslims, practitioners of traditional religions, people of other faiths and citizens who profess no religion. The state therefore has a responsibility to exercise particular care when public money becomes involved in religious projects.
If Christians Want the Cathedral, Christians Can Support It
President Mahama has suggested that Ghana’s large Christian population has the capacity to finance a cathedral voluntarily, even illustrating his argument by saying that if Christians each contributed GH¢1,000, sufficient resources could potentially be mobilised. His central point was that taxpayers should not have to finance it.
I find the underlying principle reasonable.
If Christians genuinely believe that Ghana needs a National Cathedral, then churches, Christian organisations, businesses, philanthropists and individual believers can voluntarily contribute towards completing one.
That would make the project an expression of faith rather than an obligation imposed upon every taxpayer.
Giving to God should come willingly from the heart—not through compulsory taxation arising from another person’s pledge.
But Ghana Cannot Simply Forget What Has Already Been Spent
There is, however, another side of the matter.
Whatever one’s political position, substantial public resources have already gone into the National Cathedral project. Ghana cannot simply walk away without accounting for that money.
President Mahama says the forensic audit into the project has been completed and forwarded to the Attorney-General. He has also indicated that the Christian Council will be given an opportunity to examine the situation as discussions continue over the project’s future.
Earlier, the Presidency had ordered a forensic audit following a Deloitte audit of the National Cathedral Secretariat’s operations covering 2021–2023.
This process should be allowed to work.
And an important principle must be maintained: an audit or investigation should establish facts; accusations should not substitute for evidence. If wrongdoing is established, the appropriate institutions should act. If particular allegations are not substantiated, that should equally be stated publicly.
Accountability must never become political persecution, just as political loyalty must never become a shield against accountability.
The Location Question Also Deserves Attention
President Mahama has also questioned the existing location of the Cathedral because of its proximity to Parliament, the Accra International Conference Centre, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, National Theatre and the Black Star Square area. His concern is that another major facility there could further constrict an already important part of central Accra.
That argument should be considered objectively.
The money already spent cannot be recovered merely by continuing construction at all costs. Equally, abandoning what exists without carefully examining alternatives could waste even more resources.
Government, churches, architects, planners, financial experts and other stakeholders should therefore determine what option now provides the greatest public value.
This Must Not Become NDC Versus NPP
Unfortunately, almost every major national issue in Ghana eventually becomes an NDC-versus-NPP battle.
The National Cathedral should not.
Those who supported President Akufo-Addo should be able to ask legitimate questions about how the project was managed. Those who support President Mahama should equally accept scrutiny of whatever decision his administration eventually makes about the site.
Today’s government will eventually become tomorrow’s former government.
We therefore need principles that remain sensible regardless of which political party occupies Jubilee House.
For me, one such principle is simple:
A President’s personal religious pledge should remain personal unless the nation, through legitimate democratic and constitutional processes, adopts it as national policy.
Moment of Wisdom
I respectfully agree with President John Dramani Mahama on this particular issue.
This does not mean that a National Cathedral can never be built in Ghana. Neither does it mean that the vision of former President Akufo-Addo must be ridiculed.
It means we must distinguish between personal faith and public responsibility.
If Christians believe strongly in completing a National Cathedral, let us mobilise ourselves and support it voluntarily. But the personal pledge of one political leader should not automatically become a financial pledge made on behalf of every Ghanaian.
At the same time, let the completed forensic audit establish the facts about the public money already committed, and let any future decision be guided by accountability, value for money and the national interest—not political vengeance.
Presidents will come and go. Political parties will win and lose elections. But Ghana remains.
Let us therefore build a country where public resources are governed by national priorities and proper institutions—not by the personal promises of whoever happens to occupy the presidency.
Moment of Wisdom; Time for Wisdom.
— Apostle Michael Asabere
The Only Living Saint
Moment of Wisdom GH TV
