From Faith to Festivals: National Cathedral repurposed into a National Cultural Convention Centre.

Buried deep within Ghana’s ’24-Hour Economy’ policy is a proposal so audacious that it could either redefine our nation or become its most spectacular failure: repurposing the deeply controversial National Cathedral site into a world-class National Cultural Convention Centre (NCCC).

As someone tracking opportunities for the creative sector, this is the one to watch. Here’s the breakdown of the promise versus the peril.

The Promise: Why This Could Be a Game-Changer

On paper, this is a masterstroke. It solves a glaring infrastructure deficit and positions the creative arts as a core economic engine. The vision is to create:

An Economic Powerhouse:

A hub attracting millions in tourism and event revenue, creating thousands of jobs in hospitality, production, and logistics.

A Continental Hub:

A landmark leveraging our AfCFTA Secretariat status to make Accra the definitive convening capital of Africa.

A True Creative Ecosystem:

The policy also promises real financing through the “24H+ Value Chain Financing Facility” (FUND24) for all creatives and outlines clear investment priorities—from fashion and music to culinary arts and festivals. Creatives are framed as the official storytellers of a new “Ghana Story.”

The Peril: Why We’re Right to be Skeptical

The creative industry’s skepticism is earned. The path from this brilliant idea to reality is fraught with challenges:

A History of Beautiful Documents:

We’ve seen this before. The promise to build a large, modern theatre in Kumasi to serve the northern sector of the country, or the establishment of a Creative Arts Fund, are promises that remain largely unfulfilled. How will this be different?

The Baggage of the Past:

The Cathedral project is already mired in disputes over funding and purpose. Can a new vision truly escape this political gravity, or will it inherit the same political antibodies?

The Implementation Nightmare:

This isn’t a simple rebranding. It’s a complex legal, financial, and engineering pivot. What happens to the original designs, contracts, and stakeholder commitments?

Verdict: A Turning Point or Another Dead End?

The potential is undeniable, but the hurdles are equally formidable. This proposal is a turning point. Is this the moment Ghana finally invests thoughtfully in its creative economy, or is it another chapter in a story of ambition outstripping execution?

The difference will lie not in the vision, but in the unwavering political will and buy-in to see it through. For creatives, the advice remains: prepare your business plans, align with the strategic value chains, and be ready to hold leadership accountable for their most considerable promise yet.

Source: Kwame Koduah Atuahene