The National Cathedral construction site in Accra is back under government control. Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister Mahama Ayariga announced on Monday, October 5, 2026, that he directed the contractor to hand over the site while the Attorney-General reviews a forensic audit of spending on the project.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House, Accra, the minister said: “Given that the National Cathedral is a property of the Government of Ghana, I’ve also directed the contractor to hand over the site.”
He also confirmed that the project’s Board of Trustees has been dissolved and that board members have been formally notified by letter. The Ministry will keep custody of the site until the Attorney-General gives guidance on the next steps.
The handover comes ahead of the October 31, 2026 deadline the government set for the board to surrender the site.
Background Video: National Cathedral Site Handed Back to Government as AG Reviews Forensic Audit, Board Dissolved
National Cathedral site returned to government control
According to Mr Ayariga, the site now sits with the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs. It will remain in government custody until a decision is taken on what to do with it.
The minister said the board was no longer needed because no further public funds will be committed to the construction of the cathedral.
“And so I have sent the letter to the board members informing them that they have been dissolved,” he said.
National Cathedral board dissolution: how we got here
President John Dramani Mahama ordered the immediate dissolution of the Board of Trustees in a letter from Mr Ayariga dated September 18, 2026. The board was chaired by Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, a former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost.
That letter directed the trustees to work with the project consultant and hand over the site to the Ministry by October 31, 2026. It also thanked the trustees for their commitment to promoting the Christian faith in the country, GBC reported.
An earlier 2025 government announcement to dissolve the National Cathedral Secretariat was not followed by formal written notice to board members, so they stayed in office until the September letter.
CHRAJ findings and the National Cathedral forensic audit
The project has faced years of public scrutiny over its procurement, financing and management. North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in January 2023.
CHRAJ found that the award of the construction contract to Ribade Company Limited breached mandatory provisions of the Public Procurement Act. As GhanaTrends reported at the time, CHRAJ urged a forensic audit of the National Cathedral project and prosecution of the Board of Trustees.
The forensic audit of expenditures under the previous Akufo-Addo administration is now with the Attorney-General for review.
National Cathedral timeline at a glance
- March 2017: Project initiated under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
- January 2023: Okudzeto Ablakwa petitions CHRAJ over procurement and conflict-of-interest concerns
- 2025: Government announces dissolution of the National Cathedral Secretariat, but no formal letter reaches the board
- September 18, 2026: Letter dissolves the Board of Trustees with immediate effect
- October 5, 2026: Ayariga confirms site handed back to government
- October 31, 2026: Original handover deadline given to the board
What the National Cathedral handover means for Ghanaians
For taxpayers, the key point is the government’s position that no more public money will go into building the cathedral.
The handover also puts the long-stalled site directly under state control, removing the trustees from any role in its management.
For those who have followed the controversy, the Attorney-General’s review of the forensic audit is the next major step that could determine whether any further action is taken over past spending.
What happens next for the National Cathedral site
The Attorney-General will review the forensic audit and advise the government. Mr Ayariga said the future use of the site will be decided after that review.
No timeline has been given for the completion of the review or for a final decision on the site.
National Cathedral Site Handed Back to Government as AG Reviews Forensic Audit, Board Dissolved – Key details at a glance
- Site handed back to government, Ayariga announced on October 5, 2026
- Announcement made at the Government Accountability Series, Jubilee House, Accra
- Board of Trustees, chaired by Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, dissolved
- Dissolution letter dated September 18, 2026; handover deadline was October 31, 2026
- No further public funding for the cathedral’s construction
- Attorney-General reviewing forensic audit of past expenditures
- Site’s future use to be decided after the AG’s review
FAQs
Who now controls the National Cathedral site?
The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has custody of the site after the contractor was directed to hand it over.
Has the National Cathedral board been dissolved?
Yes. President Mahama ordered the dissolution in a letter dated September 18, 2026, and Mr Ayariga says board members have been formally informed.
Will government continue building the National Cathedral?
The government says no further public funds will be committed to its construction. The site’s future use will be decided after the Attorney-General reviews the forensic audit.
The National Cathedral project has entered a new phase, with the site back in government hands, the trustees dissolved and the forensic audit before the Attorney-General. What happens to the site in the heart of Accra now depends on the outcome of that legal review.
