‘May our church not become the National Cathedral hole’ – Mahama ‘mocks’ Akufo-Addo in church

President John Dramani Mahama, on Sunday, June 15, 2025, took a swipe at former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his widely criticised failure to complete the National Cathedral project before leaving office.

Speaking at the Ringway Assemblies of God Church, where he delivered a sermon during the church’s Father’s Day service, President Mahama ended his message with a humorous yet pointed jab at the stalled cathedral project, a comment that drew laughter from the congregation.

While concluding his sermon and praying for the church’s growth, President Mahama said, “May our church continue to grow bountifully and be that huge master tree that we all want it to be. May our church not be the National Cathedral hole… You didn’t see that one coming.”

He added, “May our church not be the National Cathedral hole. Let it grow and grow and grow,” prompting the audience to burst into laughter.

The controversial National Cathedral project, once envisioned as a grand structure to serve multiple purposes and boost Ghana’s tourism sector, now remains abandoned, with little more than a large excavation site to show for it, despite $58 million already committed in funding.

It has even drawn international attention, having been featured in The New York Times.

Initiated under Akufo-Addo’s administration, the National Cathedral has become a major point of contention due to persistent delays, lack of transparency, and incomplete construction, symbolised by the now-infamous “cathedral hole.”