Claiming to be Holier than the Pope: The National Patriotic Party (NPP) Government and the Ghana National Cathedral Conundrum

Abstract Abiding by the principle that politics and religion should remain separate has posed a challenge for many pluralist states. Ghana has had a checkered experience with secularism, and the latest issue to emerge is the National Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s proposal to build a national cathedral. Opposition to the cathedral, which came from the main opposition party, some citizens and student associations, and some civil society organizations, has been overwhelming, indicating the government’s shortcomings in other areas of governance. Through a critical content analysis of dailies (both print and electronic) and YouTube videos, this paper investigates the support for and opposition against the proposal to build the National Cathedral. After exploring the unending theoretical discourse on state-religion relationships, the article examines the exposés surrounding the construction of the National Cathedral, the attendant interpretations, and criticisms. Finally, it highlights the implications of the National Cathedral saga for deepening the Fourth Republican Democracy.