The Board of Directors of the National Cathedral of Ghana has dismissed reports suggesting that the stalled Cathedral project is being converted into a Cultural Convention Centre, describing the claims as speculative and unsubstantiated.
In a statement issued on July 7, following an emergency meeting, the Board said it had received no official communication or confirmation regarding any such conversion.
The Executive Director of the National Cathedral, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, emphasized that the project remains focused on its original vision of becoming a sacred national infrastructure for Ghana’s Christian community and a global destination for religious pilgrimage.
“The National Cathedral was proposed to provide a sacred infrastructure for the formal religious activities of state, including State funerals and National Thanksgiving services,” the statement said. It also highlighted the symbolic importance of the project, citing the President’s declaration of July 1 as Ghana’s National Day of Prayer, which underlines the spiritual urgency of completing the Cathedral.
The Secretariat further clarified that the project is not abandoned. According to the Board, eight percent of construction work has already been completed since construction began in 2021. Preparatory works, architectural designs, and planning for associated facilities such as a Bible Museum, Biblical Garden, and a 350-seater restaurant have also been finalized.
“The suspension of construction was due, largely, to a lack of funds, as well as a politicisation and vilification of the project that affected fundraising,” the statement noted.
The Board defended its stewardship of state funds, referencing an audit by Deloitte and Touche which confirmed that all disbursements were based on contractual agreements and that payments were made only for work actually executed.
Moving forward, the National Cathedral Secretariat announced plans to pursue the project’s completion through a depoliticised framework and a new funding partnership between the state, the church, and civil society. It reiterated its commitment to delivering what it described as a “family house” and “interdenominational sacred space” for the Christian faith, while also serving as a unifying interreligious space for the wider Ghanaian community.
Dr. Opoku-Mensah concluded the statement by reaffirming the Board’s dedication to fulfilling the National Cathedral’s founding purpose and urged the public to reject false narratives about its future.
