Mahama dissolves National Cathedral Board with immediate effect

The Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana Project has been directed to relinquish control of the project site following President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to dissolve the board with immediate effect.

The directive, issued on Friday, September 18, 2026, requires the trustees to work with the project consultant to complete the formal handover of the site to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs by October 31, 2026.

The decision was communicated by the sector Minister, Mahama Ayariga, in a letter addressed to the Chairman and members of the Board.

The letter stated, “His Excellency the President has directed the dissolution of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana Project with immediate effect.”

The Ministry said the handover would enable the government to assess the project and decide how it should proceed, stating that it was necessary “to allow Government to determine the future of the project.”

The Board, which was chaired by Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, had been responsible for providing oversight of the National Cathedral project.

Despite the dissolution, Mr. Ayariga expressed the government’s appreciation to the trustees for their service and their involvement in promoting the project.

On behalf of President Mahama, he said, “I wish to thank you for your commitment to promoting the Christian faith in the country.”

The latest directive follows previous measures by the Mahama administration to review the management and finances of the National Cathedral project.

In July 2025, the Presidency announced that President Mahama had ordered the dissolution of the National Cathedral Secretariat and initiated legal processes to disband the Board of Trustees following an audit of the Secretariat.

According to the government, the Deloitte and Touche audit, which covered the Secretariat’s operations between 2021 and 2023, identified concerns relating to financial management, procurement and compliance with due process.

The audit also raised issues concerning consultancy payments, including discrepancies in fees, as well as payments made before the completion of formal agreements and procurement approvals. Concerns were also raised about overlapping project management arrangements.

The government subsequently indicated that a broader forensic audit and legal processes would form part of efforts to address issues surrounding the project.