Pastor Mensa Otabil, the Founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) has criticised what he describes as political divisions over Ghana’s stalled $97million National Cathedral project.
According to Mensa Otabil, Ghanaians are so small-minded and allow politics to just crush their thinking.
He argued that the project, which was intended to serve as a significant Christian landmark, should have received broader support rather than political divisions.
Pastor Mensa Otabil added that Christians should support efforts to build projects “massively to the glory of God”, adding that some Christians had also spoken against the cathedral.
Speaking in a viral video, Pastor Mensa Otabil stated, “Ghana wanted to build a national cathedral, and Christians beat it up with their own mouths. Others are building things all over.
We are so small-minded, so small-minded, that we allow politics to blind us. We allow politics to just crush our thinking. We need to build [the National Cathedral] massively to the glory of God”
In related news, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has revealed that embattled former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta authorised all National Cathedral payments.
According to Dr Dominic Ayine, Ken Ofori-Atta authorised all National Cathedral payments, including the $47 million paid to internationally acclaimed architect and designer David Adjaye.
The Attorney General made this known while speaking to Bola Ray on StarrChat.
He was quoted as saying, “All National Cathedral payments, including the $47 million paid to the architect, were authorised by Ken Ofori-Atta”.
Also, President John Mahama has once again promised that anyone found to have embezzled state funds in the $97 million used to dig the pit for the National Cathedral will be prosecuted.
Speaking during a sod-cutting ceremony for the Sunayi-Atronie-Achrensua project on Sunday, December 21, 2025, President Mahama stated that the investigations into the National Cathedral have not been abandoned.
President Mahama, at the sod-cutting, stated, “The $97 million used to dig the pit for the National Cathedral will be thoroughly scrutinised. We have requested the Auditor-General to conduct a forensic audit to expose any wrongdoing.
Anyone found to have embezzled state funds will face the law, so we have not abandoned the matter; investigations are ongoing.”
Meanwhile, David Adjaye, the internationally acclaimed architect and designer of the National Cathedral, in 2025 broke his silence regarding the stalled project.
According to Architect David Adjaye, the National Cathedral project is not dead, although he feels the John Mahama administration might just want to trash it.
He asserted that the Mahama administration wants to understand the National Cathedral project through a forensic examination, so it is just on pause.
Speaking during a podcast interview with renowned British journalist Tim Abrahams, David Adjaye detailed, “No, it’s not dead. It is funny. I keep thinking this administration might just want to trash it, but I think there was a lot of misunderstanding in the beginning. Because the process was private in a way — it was government, but it was private. So I think there’s a sense with this administration of really understanding what is going on. It may not be a priority, but it is certainly …
“It is definitely a national project. Love or hate it, there’s something about this project which activates a sense of urgency about the infrastructure that’s required,” he added.
David Adjaye added, “We know this administration is careful, making sure that they have done their forensic examination. So that they can say whether they think there were bad practices or good practices.
“So far, it has passed its tests, but we know they’re still carrying on with forensic testing. But in the meantime, it’s on pause. It is just on pause,” he reiterated.
Watch the video below:
🇬🇭 “We’re so small-minded that we allow politics to blind us,” Pastor Mensa Otabil has said, criticising the political debate surrounding Ghana’s stalled $97m National Cathedral project.
— CDR AFRICA (@cdrafrica) August 9, 2026
He said Christians should not shy away from building massively “to the glory of God”, adding… pic.twitter.com/c1F7Z6Qg3y
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