Pastor Mensa Otabil, founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), has criticised the political discourse surrounding Ghana's controversial National Cathedral project.

The project has remained a major subject of public and political debate in Ghana, particularly because of questions surrounding its funding, construction and management.

Pastor Otabil has previously been associated with the National Cathedral project. However, MyJoyOnline reported that he had not been a member of its Board of Trustees since July 2019, after choosing not to participate in the formal registration of the board.

The National Cathedral has faced significant challenges over the years, including difficulties securing funding. Previous reports have indicated that construction stalled amid financial difficulties and disagreements about how the project should be managed.

The project has consequently become a political issue, with successive governments and political actors offering different views about its future. Critics have questioned the amount of public resources associated with the project, while supporters have argued that the cathedral could become an important religious and national monument.

Otabil's latest comments have renewed attention on the need to separate the broader religious and cultural discussion from partisan political arguments.

The debate has also involved several prominent religious leaders. Some members of the original Board of Trustees eventually left the project, while concerns about transparency, fundraising and financial accountability continued to generate public discussion.

For many Ghanaians, the central question remains what should happen to the project now that construction has stalled. Options discussed publicly have included completing the project, changing its purpose or reviewing the financial arrangements surrounding it.

The controversy demonstrates how major national projects can become politically sensitive when they involve significant public interest and funding.

Pastor Mensa Otabil's intervention adds another voice to the continuing debate over Ghana's stalled National Cathedral. With questions about funding, accountability, and the project's future still unresolved, the issue is likely to remain part of the country's political and religious conversation.