Ablakwa takes on government on state funding of Cathedral project
Dr. Mensa Otabil reportedly resigns from Cathedral Board of Trustees
Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako-Mensah, has chided the Akufo-Addo-led government over the reported untruthfulness surrounding the construction of the National Cathedral, particularly on the issue relating to its funding.
Although the lawmaker indicated his support for the project, he was discontent with the various controversies that have greeted it so far.
In his view, the government would have done itself a lot of good if it had been forthright with Ghanaians on whether or not it was going to finance the project.
The NPP MP stated that just like the construction of stadia, the government could have added the construction of the Cathedral to its infrastructure development project.
Speaking on the June 15 edition of Metro TV's "Good Morning Ghana", Mr. Adomako-Mensah stressed that even though some people would have disagreed with the government, it would have told Ghanaians the truth that some amount of taxpayers' money would be expended on the project.
This, he says, would have 'killed the mischief' of North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has kept a keen eye on the progress of the project and revealed various infractions concerning it.
"I, as I sit here, I am all for the Cathedral. All I want the government to do is be bold to say we are building the Cathedral. This is what we intend to do. This is the benefit that we will get.
"Now, where are they getting money to pay. Is it not from the consolidated fund…so the taxpayer's money? Just say government intends to do this.
"This is how much government intends to spend, and we will solicit the rest from other people. Everybody is cool. But if every day Okudzeto…Monday morning, he will release a statement, 'we have just noticed that 25million dollars have been released oo'.
"The following two days another 25 million, [Ghanaians will say] "ei these people, they are spending so far 200 million". It fits into the whole propaganda bit…to kill it. He is a politician. He knows where he is coming from. He is unearthing for a certain purpose. We could have killed that mischief from my brother Okudzeto if we had been truthful," Mr. Adomako-Mensah emphasized.
TWI NEWS
The National Cathedral project has, in recent weeks, dominated news headlines over some allegations that the government has provided seed money for the project despite earlier assurances that it was going to be financed by the Church.
North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa alleged that the Akufo-Addo-led administration has so far dolled out over GH₵190 million in funding for the construction of the National Cathedral.
His comment came after a recent report that the government has released an amount of GH₵25 million for the project.
In a post on his social media handle, Mr. Ablakwa said the government had earlier released an amount of over GH₵142 million, bringing the cumulative funding for the project to GH₵199,832,603.00.
Again, he disclosed that one prominent member of the Board of Trustees and founder of ICGC, Dr. Mensa Otabil, has resigned over the various infractions surrounding the project.
View his Timepath below:
