Ablakwa tackles government over state support for project
Ghanaians express concern over prioritizing Cathedral project
Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, has made a case for the state to continue bankrolling the controversial National Cathedral project.
In an interview on Accra-based Joy News, the MP accused members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of employing propaganda to the effect that the Cathedral was only going to serve as a place of worship for Christians on Sunday.
While berating the government for not being able to rebut the claim, Mr. Opoku maintained that the Cathedral was going to serve as a place for presidential swearing-in ceremonies as well as state funerals etc.
He added that the Cathedral will also serve as place for convergence for the Ghanaian populace.
“I agree with Agyapa Mercer [Deputy Energy Minister] that the state should solely fund the building of the Cathedral.
"Today in our country you will admit that we lack a place where we could converge as a people. We all know on the 7th of January just after elections, presidents are supposed to be sworn-in before Parliament.
“For lack of space, we have always yielded to the Independence Square where Parliament will have to move from the precincts of Parliament to the Independence Square largely because of the persons or individuals that are invited to also observe proceedings,” he said.
For this reason, Davis Ansah Opoku insisted that the citizenry must be made to understand the importance of the Cathedral project and for the state to continue using state funds in building it.
“All I’m saying is that, the time is now for the state to have a national place of converging and for me, it is the more reason why I support that the state should as a matter of urgency accept that the National Cathedral is of importance to us as a people and fund it from state coffers,” he added.
The construction of the National Cathedral project has come under criticism following reports of the state providing seed money for it.
According to North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a cumulative GH₵200 million has so far been expended on the project.
Meanwhile, work has stalled on the project due to the unavailability of funds.
Mpraeso MP, Davis Ansah Opoku