President John Dramani Mahama has raised concerns about the projected $400 million cost of the National Cathedral, stressing the need for financial clarity and accountability.
This comes after the Christian Council, during a courtesy call at Jubilee House on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, proposed that the project continue to serve as a denominational worship centre for the country.
However, President Mahama rejected the proposal, explaining that the project should have had the necessary consultation before starting.
He said, “$400 million to build a cathedral is excessive. I know Nigeria have built an ecumenical center… They built it for $40 million. Maybe some of the things are excessive.”
The President announced that the government has ordered a forensic audit of the Cathedral’s accounts to determine how funds have been managed. “Before we go forward, we must know what happened,” he explained.
Mahama emphasized the importance of public input on such a major expenditure, noting the need for broad consultation after the audit is complete. “We’ll do that consultation, and we’ll decide together how we want to go forward… we can all worship God and thank him for what he has done for us,” he said.
The President also drew on his personal experience in fundraising for church projects, saying, “I contributed as one of the chief fundraisers for my own Assemblies of God Church building… and we built 10 rural… temples in 10 villages for the Assemblies of God Church,” highlighting the value of community involvement and oversight in managing large-scale church projects.
