Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, has intensified calls for accountability in the controversial National Cathedral project, declaring that he would be glad to see former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo “hauled before court” to answer for what he describes as an organised financial crime disguised as a religious initiative.
Speaking in a media interview, Mr. Kotoko accused the former President of using the project as a front to misappropriate public funds, labelling it “an organised crime unit” rather than a national project of faith and unity.
“Let me be frank with you, if wishes were horses, I would be happy to see even former president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo being hauled to court to answer for that hole he dug which seems to be an organised crime unit that he set up to siphon or launder state funds”
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy CEO of the Forestry Commission
Elikem Kotoko’s comments add to the growing public outrage over the stalled cathedral project, which began under the Akufo-Addo administration. For him, the project reflected deep moral decay among Ghana’s political elite, particularly those who preached virtue while engaging in questionable financial decisions.
“I am a young person and I frown so much on elderly people not holding in fidelity the virtues that we thought they were supposed to hand over to us,” he lamented.
The Forestry Commission executive drew a sharp comparison between the actions of the former Ghanaian leader and Côte d’Ivoire’s ex-minister Gnamien Konan who, according to him, funded his religious project privately.
“When he was in his room and had a prayer with his God that he wanted to build for him a place of worship – he did it with private funds.
“Then there’s President Akufo-Addo, who when in opposition, promised to build a Cathedral for God. It was a promise to be fulfilled in the first four years because he was not assured of his second term and look at how that went. This is somebody who could even scam God”
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy CEO of the Forestry Commission
Disguised Faith
Mr. Kotoko accused those behind the National Cathedral project of misleading Ghanaians under the guise of religion. He described the venture as “another avenue to scam the entire nation,” implicating both political and religious figures who had vouched for the integrity of the project.
“They’ve all been exposed, it’s blown up in their faces because they spoke so well of this – they were so convinced. Some of them said not a pesewa of public funds will be used, and one of the people I perceived to be criminal – the Finance Minister – is still at large.
“At the time he (former Finance Minister) read the budget, he told us rehabilitation work was 90%. Yet today a toddler who visits that place will tell you not even 5% has been done”
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy CEO of the Forestry Commission
He further lamented the credibility of official claims made under the previous administration, pointing out the falsehoods with the government’s report on the progress of the project. Mr. Kotoko accused the former president of manipulating the nation’s religious sentiment to evade scrutiny and accountability.
He said Ghanaians’ reverence for God was exploited as a shield for corruption, noting that everyone who was involved in the project is still walking scot-free, despite the financial loss they have caused to the state.
“President Nana Addo only used our vulnerability as a people – God – to scam all of us,” Mr. Kotoko said, reiterating that justice must be served.
He called for the calling for full investigations and prosecutions where necessary, emphasising that accountability would not only restore public trust but also deter future leaders from exploiting state resources for personal or political gain.
The National Cathedral project, launched in 2018 as a symbol of unity and faith, has since been plagued by allegations of financial mismanagement, stalled construction, and public backlash over its funding sources.
Critics continue to demand transparency, while President John Dramani Mahama’s administration has pledged to ensure full disclosure and legal action where wrongdoing is established.
