President orders audit of controversial cathedral project

President John Mahama has intensified his anti-corruption fight by announcing a probe into the controversial National Cathedral project, reports My Joy Online. He has revealed that Deloitte has begun a full independent audit of the initiative launched under former President Nana Akufo-Addo. In a national broadcast on Wednesday to mark his first 120 days in office, Mahama said he expected Deloitte's report by the end of this month. According to an earlier BBC News report, pressure has been mounting on authorities to drop the $400m project. Akufo-Addo, whose party was voted out during December's elections, had pledged to build the cathedral after crediting God for his party's success in 2016. Akufo-Addo's Government said the cathedral would be privately funded, but $58m of taxpayers' money has so far been spent on the project. There is nothing to show for this sum but a huge crater in a plot of valuable land in central Accra, previously occupied by state buildings, judges' homes and financial firms. The National Cathedral of Ghana was envisioned to be a sacred space for all Christians, where national religious services could take place. It is also intended to house a Bible museum and a national conference centre.