Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the former Vice President and the 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has fired shots at his boss former President Akufo-Addo for spending $58 million in public funds on the National Cathedral.
Dr Bawumia asserted that the spending $58 million in public funds on the National Cathedral also contributed to the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to Dr Bawumia, three days before election day fuel prices also went up.
Speaking to members of the party in Takoradi on April 26, as part of the NPP’s Thank You tour in the Western Region, Dr Bawumia stated, “The national cathedral we were not able to complete after $58 million was sunk into it, caused a lot of rage in the public”.
“Also, three days before the election day, the price of fuel went up. When I heard it, I thought it was a joke. The drivers were angry at us. So, people went to vote against us with anger.
That is why we put together the Mike Oquaye Committee to produce a report on why we lost. I am happy that there is no religious factor, and tribal factor that caused our defeat,” he added.
The National Cathedral was the brainchild of former President Nana Akufo-Addo as a national Christian worship centre and a symbol of Ghana’s religious heritage to thank God for ensuring his victory in election 2016 and 2020.
The National Cathedral project was initiated in 2017 but was mired in controversy due to its high cost, the source of funding, and allegations of embezzlement of funds by its Board of Trustees.
It faced widespread criticism over the handling of its finances and execution, with several allegations of financial mismanagement and corruption surfacing throughout its development.
Meanwhile, the National Cathedral Secretariat was officially dissolved by the John Dramani Mahama administration.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV, Minister of State in Charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu confirmed government will be no longer providing funds to continue the abandoned National Cathedral project.
He stated that this decision is in line with the position consistently upheld by President John Dramani Mahama, who has been clear in ensuring that taxpayer money will not be used for the project moving forward.
“There are outstanding issues regarding the procurement processes, outstanding payments that the contractor is demanding, but nobody will answer because there is no National Cathedral.
“It remains a worthless home. As a point of determination, a decision is going to be made, but what is certain is that President Mahama is not going to put GHS400 million of taxpayers’ money into that project.”
Watch the video below:
$58M cathedral failure eroded trust and fueled public dissatisfaction – Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. #TV3GH pic.twitter.com/jOX3rUVVzs
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) April 27, 2025
