Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has initiated proceedings to potentially abandon the controversial National Cathedral project in Accra, designed by Adjaye Associates, following a comprehensive investigation into the project's financial irregularities. The president's office announced it has begun the process of terminating current contracts related to the cathedral and will launch an additional forensic audit that could result in the complete halt of the ambitious project.
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice has been tasked with taking legal steps to lawfully terminate the contract for the National Cathedral project, a measure aimed at preventing further costs and losses to the state. According to the president's office, the minister confirmed that decisive action will be taken regarding any impropriety determined and the future of the project itself once the forensic audit is complete. This development signals a potential re-evaluation or complete halt of the controversial project that has been plagued by financial concerns since its inception.
The cathedral project was originally commissioned in 2018 by former President Nana Akufo-Addo but has become increasingly controversial due to escalating costs and accusations that Adjaye Associates was illegally hired to design the building. According to BBC reports, approximately $58 million of taxpayer money has already been spent on the $400 million cathedral project, despite construction never beginning. The substantial financial commitment without visible progress has drawn significant public criticism and political scrutiny.
The decision to consider terminating the project stems from an audit conducted by the international accountancy firm Deloitte & Touche, which President Mahama commissioned upon taking office. The audit revealed what the president's office described as a litany of financial irregularities, procurement breaches, and a general lack of due process throughout the project's development. These findings have raised serious questions about the project's financial management and oversight.
Initially, the audit identified troubling variances in consultancy fees paid to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Ltd. The Office of the President confirmed payments of GHS 113,040,564.86 ($10.6 million), while Adjaye Associates claimed to have received GHS 117,972,656.00 ($11.2 million), creating an unexplained difference of GHS 4,932,091.14 ($463,000). However, after seeking clarification and conducting a detailed review, Deloitte & Touche confirmed that both parties agreed that fees totaling GHS 117,972,656.00 ($11.2 million) had indeed been paid as part of the contract.
A spokesperson for Adjaye Associates strongly defended the firm's financial conduct, stating that the Deloitte audit makes clear there is no discrepancy in payments made to David Adjaye or Adjaye Associates. The spokesperson emphasized that all funds dispensed were within the scope of the contract and there has been no misallocation of any amount. They noted that these facts can be verified by a full reading of the statement issued by the government of Ghana on July 18, 2025.
The audit also revealed that Adjaye Associates had received fees of GHS 15,738,750 ($1.48 million) before an agreement was officially signed, raising questions about proper procurement procedures. Additionally, the firm had billed GHS 12,430,221 for additional work not included within the initial contract. However, Adjaye Associates confirmed that all additional work was covered by variations to the original contract made in 2019, and these addendums were properly signed off before work began.
According to the comprehensive audit findings, Adjaye Associates has been paid a total of $15.7 million for the project, with $7.9 million in fees still outstanding. The substantial payments without corresponding construction progress have contributed to public frustration and political pressure to reassess the project's viability and financial management.
The proposed National Cathedral was planned for a prominent site near Ghana's parliament building in Accra and would have featured a distinctive concave roof topping a 5,000-seat auditorium. The ambitious project was designed to include a series of chapels, a baptistery, a music school, an art gallery, and what would have been Africa's first bible museum. The comprehensive cultural and religious complex was intended to serve as a landmark for the nation.
Currently, the building site remains vacant with no construction work commenced, despite the demolition of existing state buildings, judges' homes, and buildings housing financial institutions to clear the site. The cleared but unused land serves as a visible reminder of the project's troubled progress and has become a source of public criticism regarding the use of taxpayer funds.
The controversy surrounding this project is further complicated by broader issues facing Adjaye Associates. In 2023, the architectural firm was dropped from several high-profile projects, including the Africa Institute in Sharjah and the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, after three former employees accused studio founder David Adjaye of sexual misconduct. Adjaye has consistently denied these allegations, but the controversy has affected the firm's international reputation and project commitments.
As Ghana's government continues its forensic investigation, the future of the National Cathedral project remains uncertain. The potential complete termination would represent a significant policy shift and could result in substantial financial write-offs for the Ghanaian taxpayers who have already funded the project's preliminary phases without seeing tangible results.
