# National Cathedral of Ghana

The National Cathedral of Ghana is a planned interdenominational Christian cathedral scheduled to be built in Accra, the nation's capital, as part of Ghana's 60th anniversary celebration. A 9-acre landscaped garden area next to Osu Cemetery will house the cathedral. The design for the cathedral was unveiled by the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, in March 2018. It was set to be commissioned on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, according to the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

## Architectural Design

The National Cathedral's architectural design concept is inspired by the foundational principles of Christian architecture. The cathedral will have an auditorium capable of seating 5,000 as well as the requisite chapels and a baptistery. The site will also house a music school, an art gallery, and a museum dedicated to the Bible.
The design of the cathedral reflects the art and culture of Ghanaian ethnic groups; the high-pitched and staggered roof is reminiscent of Akan-inspired architecture and the façade will be concave and decorated with timber in imitation of Ashanti royal stools. The striking draped roof takes cues from the rich symbols of Ghanaian chieftaincy, such as the majestic boaman ceremonial canopies and umbrellas, traditionally used to shield and honor royalty. The architect behind the architectural design for this cathedral is the British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, who also designed the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

## Reception and debate

In an opinion piece for The New York Times, art historian Chika Okeke-Agulu wrote that the cathedral "...signals that the country is poised to consolidate the gains of decades of democracy," adding that it would "inspire ambitious civic architecture projects across the continent that harness the talents of Africa's emerging artists[.] This Accra commission is not just a recognition by his homeland of Mr. Adjaye acclaim; It also signifies that Africa can build a major work by a leading architect at the top of his game."
A 2018 article from the Financial Times covered the backlash in Ghana coming from those who viewed the $100 million project as a "white elephant" and a low priority. Yaw Nsarkoh, executive vice president of Unilever for Ghana and Nigeria, was quoted as saying "At a time when taxes are going up, banks have collapsed, and you can't pay for social programmes, is it really the thing to do to build a cathedral?" Others disagreed, such as Edward Effah, chairman of Ghana's largest bank, who countered these concerns by saying, "You can't say: 'Until we are wealthy, we cannot afford national pride'".
A 2022 article in Bloomberg News noted that the cathedral's original price tag of $100 million had quadrupled amid record inflation and the devaluation of cedi in 2022. By 2022, the Ghanaian government had spent over $58 million on the cathedral, with about half of it going to Adjaye's architecture firm.
In July 2023, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources stated during a session in parliament that institutions destroyed to make way for the cathedral had been compensated.
The board chairman of the National Cathedral of Ghana Opoku Onyinah in a letter dated 24 September 2024 stated the project has been audited by Deloitte with no adverse findings. The board of the NCG were briefed on the audit which covered the period from the projects inception to 31 December 2020 during a meeting held on the 20th of September 2024.The board chairman also confirmed in the same letter that preparations are underway to resume the project.
In December 2024, Ghana's Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) recommended a forensic audit and prosecution of the board of trustees of the national cathedral project after an inquiry of allegation of corruption and abuse of power was brought to the commission by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in January 2023. In January 2025, newly-inaugurated president John Mahama said that an investigation would be launched into the project.