By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA — Mr Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg, a Pan-Africanist and Christian Socialist, has proposed a Christian-led funding and accountability framework for the completion of Ghana’s National Cathedral project.
The proposal follows a directive for the National Cathedral Board to liaise with the project consultants to hand over the project site to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs on October 31, 2026.
In an open letter to President John Dramani Mahama titled “Construction of the National Cathedral in Ghana: The Dilemma,” he said the proposed handover presented the government with an opportunity to determine the project’s future while protecting the public interest, recognising the aspirations of the Christian community and accounting for resources already committed.
Mr Aziginaateeg, who is also a liberation theology advocate, stated that the original concept of a National Cathedral was not necessarily the problem, but that concerns had centred on its financing arrangements, land use and the processes through which the project was pursued.
He proposed that the government could facilitate the project while the Christian community took the lead in financing and construction, supported by professionals, businesses and the Ghanaian diaspora.
He suggested the establishment of a Special National Cathedral Construction Fund to receive voluntary contributions from individuals, churches, denominations, institutions, professionals and Ghanaians abroad.
He said even modest contributions could become significant if organised nationally, citing a contribution of GHS5 as an example of how willing Christians could collectively support the project.
Mr Aziginaateeg stressed that the arrangement should not impose a compulsory religious levy but should provide a transparent framework through which contributors could participate voluntarily.
“The proposed contributions would not be limited to cash. They could include building materials, construction equipment, transportation, professional services, skilled labour, furniture and fittings,” he added.
He also proposed an “Adopt-a-Component” programme under which churches, individuals, companies and other organisations could voluntarily support specific elements of the project, including structural works, roofing, electrical systems, plumbing, landscaping, accessibility facilities and library infrastructure.
He said each component should have an independently determined cost, a completion target and a mechanism for independent verification.
On accountability, Mr Aziginaateeg proposed an independent National Cathedral Oversight Board comprising qualified representatives from Christian bodies, finance and audit professionals, legal experts, and construction and procurement specialists.
He said the board should oversee finances, procurement, construction, audits, risk management and the publication of financial information, while monitoring project milestones and resolving complaints.
He further proposed a four-page National Cathedral Accountability Newspaper, published every fortnight, to disclose contributions received, expenditure, contracts, construction progress, outstanding liabilities and projected funding requirements.
The publication, he said, would be complemented by a digital public accountability dashboard providing regularly updated information on the project’s finances, construction progress, audits and unresolved concerns.
“No contribution should disappear into an accounting black box,” he said in the proposal, adding that all cash and in-kind contributions should be received, valued, recorded, acknowledged, independently verified and publicly accounted for.
Mr Aziginaateeg recommended that the government complete an independent technical, financial and legal audit of the project before making further major financial commitments.
He said the exercise should establish the value of public resources already committed, clarify the legal status and ownership of the land and structures, assess the condition and value of completed works, identify outstanding liabilities and determine the realistic cost of completing the project as designed.
He also called for consultations with major Christian bodies and other relevant stakeholders to develop a legally sound ownership and governance framework, saying the project should not remain indefinitely suspended as an incomplete construction site in central Accra.
He proposed that any decision to continue should be based on transparency, financial sustainability, constitutional defensibility, professional management and ownership by the Christian community.
He said the government could facilitate the process while Christians led the initiative, with professionals, businesses and the diaspora contributing to its completion.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Email address: [email protected]