The long-running National Cathedral project has entered another phase after President John Dramani Mahama directed the immediate dissolution of its Board of Trustees and ordered the formal handover of the project site to government.
The directive, contained in a letter dated September 18, 2026, and signed by the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, brings the trustees’ oversight role to an end. The development has been reported by multiple Ghanaian media outlets.
In the letter addressed to the chairman and members of the board, Mr Ayariga 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 trustees, chaired by Apostle Prof Opoku Onyinah, have subsequently been directed to liaise with the project consultant and complete the formal handover of the National Cathedral project site to the Ministry by October 31, 2026.
The Ministry said the handover would enable government to assess the project and decide on its next direction.
The letter stated that the handover was necessary “to allow Government to determine the future of the project.”
The decision places the physical project site under the Ministry’s oversight as the government considers what should happen to the long-delayed initiative.
The National Cathedral project has been the subject of prolonged public debate over its construction, financing and administration.
In July 2025, President Mahama ordered the dissolution of the project’s Secretariat and initiated legal processes concerning the Board of Trustees following an audit of the Secretariat’s operations.
The Presidency said at the time that the audit had identified financial irregularities and procurement concerns and announced plans for a forensic audit.
More recently, President Mahama has argued that although he is not against the project, he has concerns about the source of funding and location for the project, asserting that the project should be entirely funded by the Christian community.
The latest directive, however, specifically sets out the process for the trustees to relinquish the project site and formally transfer it to the Ministry.
Despite the dissolution, the government’s letter also acknowledged the trustees’ service. On behalf of President Mahama, Mr Ayariga expressed appreciation to the members for their contribution to the project and Christian life in Ghana.
“I wish to thank you for your commitment to promoting the Christian faith in the country,” he said.
