Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Special Aide to President John Dramani Mahama, has said the $97m spent on a nonexistent National Cathedral is the greatest financial betrayal of Ghanaian taxpayers.
According to Joyce Bawah Mogtari, heads ought to and must indeed roll for the 97 million spent on the still-nonexistent National Cathedral.
Madam Bawah emphasised that the National Cathedral was conceived with noble intentions. But intentions do not build cathedrals. Accountability does.
Felix Kwakye, on July 18, revealed that documents show Ghana owes the National Cathedral contractor an additional $39 million, raising the total project cost to $97 million, far above the widely cited $58 million.
The Minister of State in Charge of Communication, addressing the media on Friday, July 18, 2025, stated, “Contrary to the widely held view that total payments and contributions to the National Cathedral project amount to $58 million, there is actually an additional outstanding payment of $39 million to the contractor.
When added, this brings the total cost incurred so far for the hole that sits at the site of the project to $97 million”.
Felix Kwakye added, “The above audit findings rock the very foundation of the project and the work of the Secretariat and raise serious questions about the use of public funds”.
The National Cathedral of Ghana was registered limited by guarantee company. In view of that, the Attorney General has been directed to take legal steps… and we expect that to be done in the coming days,” he said.
Felix Kwakye further revealed that despite the damning findings contained in the Deloitte audit report, it did not cover the full scope of operations of the National Cathedral Secretariat and the project itself.
He revealed that the Auditor-General has therefore been requested to commission a forensic audit into the National Cathedral Project and the activities of the Secretariat.
Reacting to Felix Kwakye’s media briefing on X, Joyce Bawah Mogtari wrote, “In the annals of our recent history, the $97 million spent on the still-nonexistent National Cathedral may well go down as one of the greatest financial betrayals of the Ghanaian taxpayer.
A project that began with bold promises and high moral rhetoric has become a symbol of waste, deception and misplaced priorities. No foundation laid. No structure in sight. Nothing – except empty ground and vanished millions”.
She further urged Ghanaians to think about what the $97 million could have done fr the country.
She added, “Think for a moment what that huge money could have done? The classrooms for our children; hospitals in rural communities; clean water for thousands of our people; support for our farmers and small businesses; and funded youth employment and entrepreneurship, among others.
Instead, we are left with bogus budgets, false claims and deafening silence. In fact, the recent revelations brought to light by the Minister of State for Government Communications must be acknowledged for the courageous call for transparency and public accountability that it is”.
Joyce Bawah further fired shots at the silence from those entrusted to protect the public purse.
“And yet, the silence from those entrusted to protect the public purse – especially some members of the Board of Trustees – the former Minister of Finance- is louder than any defense they could offer.
Yes, it may have conceived with noble intentions. But intentions do not build cathedrals. Accountability does”.
Joyce Bawah asserted that the Projects cloaked in spirituality must be held to the highest standards of integrity, not the lowest.
She added that so many questions have been raised, and Ghanaians deserve answers, alluding that “Ghanaians deserve better”.
“Heads ought to and must indeed roll. And justice must be seen to be served”, she boldly stated.
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In the annals of our recent history, the $97 million spent on the still-nonexistent National Cathedral may well go down as one of the greatest financial betrayals of the Ghanaian taxpayer.
A project that began with bold promises and high moral rhetoric has become a symbol of…
— Joyce Bawah Mogtari (@joyce_bawah) July 22, 2025
