'They Will Never Be Forgiven': Kofi Bentil slams clergy on National Cathedral Board

Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has condemned the involvement and complicity of some prominent clergymen in the financial mismanagement of the National Cathedral project, stating that they will never be forgiven or forgotten for their role in the scandal.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on July 19, 2025, and monitored by GhanaWeb, Bentil expressed disappointment that some revered religious leaders lent their credibility to a project that has now become a symbol of waste and opacity.

“We have great respect for our Reverend Ministers, but we said it before. We said, ‘Do not lend your Bible, your customs, and your scholars to these politicians who are embarking on an ill-faith and godless journey.’ We said it would cause problems. I don’t doubt that some of the Reverend Ministers were not corrupt, I still respect them,” he stated.

He added, “But for lending themselves to this, for not speaking truth to power, and for not standing for what I believe they knew was not exactly right, they will never be forgotten, they will never be forgiven. History will show that, at a point like this, they supported wrongdoing in the name of God and cost this country almost $100 million. They tore down buildings and left behind holes.”

The National Cathedral project has long been the subject of public debate and scrutiny since its inception under the Akufo-Addo administration.

It is currently under investigation by the ORAL Committee, and recent audits show that $94 million has already been spent, despite no completed structure.

'The Reverend Ministers on the board will never be forgiven for lending themselves and not standing up for what they knew was right, history will show that they supported this wrong thing in the name of God'

- Kofi Bentil on the National Cathedral Controversy via #Newsfile pic.twitter.com/p1kJ3p6x2E

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) July 19, 2025