President Mahama Dissolves National Cathedral Board as Calls Intensify for Forensic Audits into Legacy Spending

President John Dramani Mahama has officially dissolved the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, ordering a full handover of the project site to the Ministry of Local Government by October 31, 2026. This move, announced in a letter dated September 18, 2026, aims to allow the current administration to determine the future of the stalled and controversial project. While the President acknowledged the trustees' efforts in promoting the Christian faith, the dissolution comes amidst a broader national climate of heightened scrutiny regarding the management of public funds and infrastructure projects initiated under the previous administration of former President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested a special audit from the Auditor-General to review government-funded emergency evacuations dating back to 2017. This includes operations in Ukraine, Sudan, and a recent GH₵49.72 million evacuation from South Africa in 2026. The Ministry stated that this initiative is intended to enhance transparency and strengthen future emergency preparedness. This push for accountability is echoed by civil society organizations like CDD-Ghana, which recently expressed concern over omissions in the Auditor-General's previous COVID-19 expenditure audits, arguing that such discrepancies undermine the national fight against corruption.

Demands for deeper investigations have been further fueled by investigative reports into legacy projects. Renowned journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has backed calls for a forensic audit into GH₵780 million spent on COVID-19 fumigation, noting a massive discrepancy between his findings and the GH₵96 million reported by the Auditor-General. Furthermore, the "One Constituency, One Astroturf" program, launched in 2017, has been hit by an exposé from Corruption Watch. The investigation alleges mismanagement of over GH₵1 billion in public funds across 169 projects, citing bypassed competitive bidding, early contractor payments, and conflicts of interest involving former officials such as Mr. John Peter Amewu and Ernest Owusu-Bempah.

As the government moves to settle the status of the National Cathedral, the combined pressure from investigative journalists, civil society, and internal ministry requests suggests a systemic shift toward rigorous financial oversight. The findings from these audits and the eventual decision on the National Cathedral site will likely serve as a benchmark for the Mahama administration's commitment to transparency and the prudent management of Ghana's public resources.