President John Mahama says Christians in Ghana can finance the construction of a National Cathedral without relying on taxpayers’ money.
According to him, if Christians across the country each contributed GH¢1,000 towards the project, sufficient resources would be raised to construct the facility.
“I mean, how many Christians are in this country? If we all pay 1,000 cedis each, we should be able to construct a national cathedral,” he said.
Speaking at a citizens’ engagement during his tour of the Upper West Region, the President said he had no objection to the construction of a National Cathedral, but public funds should not be used to finance it.
“My second problem was that we shouldn’t use taxpayers’ money,” he added.
He urged Christian groups to take the lead in mobilising the resources needed to complete the project.
President Mahama further raised concerns about the location of the project, arguing that the site was already surrounded by major public institutions and facilities like Parliament, the International Conference Centre, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and the National Theatre.
“My principle has always been that the location has been a problem,” he said.
“So normally during ceremonies, you have the stadium not far, and that’s the way we used to go to Black Star Square. So if you go and put this major thing there again, it will constrict that whole area,” he added.
The President was also not happy with the demolition of properties including the residences of 10 judges, and the residence of the Malian Ambassador, just to make way for the cathedral.
“My problem was also that the amount of destruction we had to cause to clear the area; broke 10 judges’ residences.
“We broke the Malian Ambassador’s residence. Up to now, we’ve not replaced it. And several other properties, the old passport office, all of them were demolished to make way for a national cathedral,” he said.
President Mahama, however, noted that his position was not opposition to the construction of a National Cathedral.
“I am a Christian myself. I have nothing against having a national cathedral,” he said.
He also disclosed that a forensic audit of the project had been completed and was currently with the Attorney General, adding that the Christian Council would be given a copy so it could examine the amount that has already been spent on the project and determine whether corrective action was necessary.
“The forensic audit is ready; it’s with the Attorney General, and I’ll make a copy of it available to the Christian Council so that they can look at the processes of what went into the expenditure of the 90 million dollars, so that if there’s any corrective action, we can take it together,” he said.
His comments come after the Christian Council of Ghana announced on Friday, September 11, that it had constituted a technical committee to explore ways of reviving the stalled project.
The committee has one month to develop a practical funding model and make recommendations on the proposed location and other outstanding issues.
President Mahama also maintained that, unlike other projects and policies inherited from previous administrations which he has pledged to continue where they are in the public interest, the National Cathedral does not fall into that category.
He said the project was a personal pledge made by former President Nana Akufo-Addo rather than a government policy.
