The Christian Council of Ghana has formed a technical committee to decide the future of the stalled National Cathedral project in Accra.
The committee will look at practical options to move the project forward after months of complete inactivity at the building site.
Work on the cathedral stopped following sustained public debate over funding, governance, and state resource allocation.
The council wants the technical group to assess the project from an objective, practical standpoint before making any formal recommendations to church leadership and government officials.
The National Cathedral was designed as a national worship space, museum, and monumental facility in the Ridge residential and diplomatic area of Accra.
Architect David Adjaye designed the building complex to include a 5,000-seat auditorium, chapels, a baptistery, a music school, and Africa's first Bible museum.
To clear land for the project, the government demolished several official residences of Appeals Court judges, the Judicial Training Institute, and the Passport Office in Ridge.
Those demolitions sparked early criticism from legal professionals and civil society groups who argued that functional public infrastructure was being destroyed unnecessarily.
Controversy grew deeper when public records revealed that substantial state funds were released to the National Cathedral Secretariat despite initial promises that the project would be privately funded.
Critics from political parties, civil society organizations, and trade unions questioned the release of public revenue during a severe economic downturn.
Members of Parliament called for full financial disclosure and a parliamentary probe into all disbursements made toward the project.
Supporters of the project argued that the cathedral would generate revenue through religious tourism, international conferences, and cultural events.
They also argued that the cathedral would provide a dedicated venue for state funerals, national thanksgiving services, and interdenominational Christian gatherings.
Despite those arguments, economic inflation, currency depreciation, and rising debt levels made government funding of the project politically and financially difficult.
Contractors eventually suspended work and withdrew heavy machinery from the site, leaving a deep excavation pit and exposed concrete foundations.
The open excavation pit in Ridge has gathered rainwater during heavy downpours, leading local residents and commentators to label it the world's most expensive hole.
The Christian Council of Ghana represents major historic Protestant denominations, including the Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, and Evangelical Presbyterian churches.
Church leaders within the council have faced rising pressure from members of their congregations who want clarity on the church's role in the ongoing controversy.
The technical committee will evaluate the structural integrity of the existing foundation work to see if months of exposure to rain and sun have caused damage.
Engineers advising the committee will need to determine how much work will be required to stabilize the site before any construction can resume.
The committee will also review the financial status of the National Cathedral Secretariat, including outstanding debts owed to contractors, suppliers, and consultants.
Alternative funding models will be a central focus for the technical group as it evaluates the feasibility of finishing the building without state funds.
Previous fundraising schemes included a national mobilization campaign that asked churchgoers to contribute 100 Ghana cedis every month toward construction.
Those voluntary public contributions fell far short of the total estimated cost of the project, which exceeded hundreds of millions of dollars.
The technical committee will investigate whether international donor networks, private corporate sponsors
According to 3News.
