TNR Files
A government minister’s praise for the abandoned National Cathedral project has ignited a firestorm of criticism, exposing deep divisions within the ruling NDC over a monument that has become synonymous with perceived official profligacy.
Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga, during his parliamentary vetting, described the idea behind the US$96 million project as “laudable” while criticising its implementation. He pledged to revive and complete the project through stakeholder consultations.
“I don’t think there is anything wrong with the idea, but I think it was a good idea that was badly implemented,” Ayariga told the Appointments Committee.
The comments have drawn sharp rebuke from critics, who note that the NDC campaigned vigorously against the project, characterising it as a misplaced priority during a period of economic hardship.
Television host and satirist Kwaku Sintim Misa expressed particular indignation, describing Ayariga’s remarks as “the dumbest thing to have come out of the mouth of somebody who is coming up as a new minister to take charge.”
KSM, who has opposed the project from its conception, questioned how a minister could contemplate reviving what he called “one of the most senseless ideas” Ghanaians have ever endorsed.
Ayariga also disclosed concerns about the Ridge location selected for the project, but assured the House that if approved, he would engage Christian leadership and, if President Mahama wished, mobilise funds for its construction.
Meanwhile, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong Manso, a former member of the Cathedral’s Board of Trustees, has broken his silence, lashing out at critics who have accused clergy members of financial misconduct.
In an interview with Accra-based Neat FM, he described the accusations as deeply unfair, stressing that his commitment has always been to the nation rather than to partisan politics.
“The reason I was deeply fed up is that when you are tagged as a sympathiser of a political party, it is truly painful especially when you know you are only serving the country,” he said.
Frimpong-Manso reminded critics of his long record of national service spanning multiple administrations, including under the late President Prof Mills.
He recounted receiving a call from former President Akufo-Addo about the Cathedral project while abroad, only to be met with hostility and insults upon becoming a board member.
“Do you think that myself, Opoku Nyinah, and Prof. Martin after all our hard work it is the National Cathedral that will feed us?” he asked, rejecting allegations of financial impropriety.
The theologian admitted the accusations had left him wounded but chose to respond with forgiveness rather than bitterness.
“This is so painful, and I leave all those who accused me to God. God will forgive them. That is all I will say, because if I do not pray for forgiveness for them, they will pay dearly with their lives,” he declared.
The controversy echoes earlier remarks by ICGC founder Pastor Mensa Otabil, who accused Ghanaians of being “so small-minded that we allow politics to blind us” regarding the project. He argued that building on a grand scale for God’s glory was entirely consistent with Christian values.
The current government has completed a forensic audit of the project, which has been handed to the Attorney General for advice and possible action against individuals involved in the controversial undertaking.
The minister’s apparent support for reviving a project his party campaigned against places him at odds with the NDC’s stated position, raising questions about the government’s true intentions regarding the Cathedral’s fate.