It seems that the President will not relent despite the current lack of funding, which has caused the National Cathedral’s construction to stall.
President Akufo-Addo has reaffirmed his resolve to completing the project by all means necessary.
This comes over two weeks after it was reported that the Secretariat’s Executive had halted building due to a shortage of funding.
His most recent affirmation took place during the memorial service for his late father, Zoomlion CEO Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong.
In a speech on Sunday at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Accra, President Akufo-Addo vowed to see the initiative through to completion.
“We will build the National Cathedral by all means. We will finish the construction before I’ll say what I have to say about it,” he affirmed to the cheers from a section of the gathering.
He did not, however, go into detail about how the extra money needed to make the project possible will be raised.
Unending Controversy
The much-discussed project made a comeback in the public earlier this year after issues with its finance became more serious.
In May 2022, the project consultants received a payment of $25 million, according to a statement from the finance minister.
This was the second time “seed money” had been provided, but the previous time, $25 million had been involved, and it was supposed to have been paid in November 2020.
Many people still had questions about the finance plans for building the Cathedral, which had been described by the President as a “priority of priorities,” despite the release of around three press statements.
However, Dr. Opoku-Mensah, the Executive Director of the National Cathedral Secretariat, urged Ghanaians to support the cause in August.
He asserts that the goal can only be achieved if the people get together and help build the structure.
“The money might be big in terms of volume but if indeed we have 21 million Christians and a million can give us ₵100 a month for a year, we can easily complete this in time.
“I refuse to believe that we can’t get a million Ghanaians out of the 21 million Christians to support this. I still have faith in the Ghanaian and I am confident that we will do this,” he said.
When it all Started
A promise President Akufo-Addo disclosed he made to God before winning the 2016 elections is fulfilled by the construction of the Cathedral.
The National Cathedral’s development is anticipated to cost more more $100 million, according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who made this statement in 2019.
Since then, it has been changed to $340 million.
The National Cathedral at Ridge in Accra is currently being built, and the government has already demolished every property on the site.
The day of commissioning is set for March 6, 2024.
The 5,000-seat auditorium project will also leave Ghana with a lovely national park for all Ghanaians, create new employment and skills, and serve as a magnet for local, regional, and foreign tourists.
Adam Ibrahim
Adam is passionate about politics and issues that affect governance. As a writer, he channels his energies into writing on pertinent national and political issues for the good of the Ghanaian people.