Despite all of the criticism, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reaffirmed his commitment to seeing the National Cathedral project through to completion.
Akufo-Addo asserted that the completion of the National Cathedral and the fulfilment of his vow to God are both possible with the help of the Christian community.
The President visited the construction site of the abandoned project and left a donation of GHC 100,000 before speaking.
“As I have said before, the National Cathedral will not just be another monument adorning the skyline of Accra, it will be a rallying point for the entire Christian community to come together and worship… I am therefore committed to working with the Board of Trustees to ensure the completion of this project to the glory of God.”
Several Ghanaians continue to question the wisdom of the government funding an edifice that is believed to be President Akufo-personal Addo’s vow to God, which has raised many problems around the National Cathedral project.
But President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been steadfast in his determination to see Ghana’s National Cathedral built.
Despite the current economic crisis, GH 80 million was budgeted for the project in 2023.
The acceptance of the GH$80 million budget projections for the National Cathedral’s completion in 2023, however, was rejected by Parliament.
In the meantime, the National Cathedral Secretariat has fervently pleaded with Christian organizations and churches to support the National Cathedral project.
The Secretariat said with a contribution of GH₵100 monthly from one million Christians, the project could be completed before the year 2024.
Speaking after President Akufo-Addo paid a working visit to the construction site, Executive Director of the National Cathedral Secretariat, Dr Paul Opoku Mensah said the church must encourage its members to contribute.
“If the Church Leaders stand with us on this project, we can easily raise One million people who will give us GH¢100 each. So essentially we need the Church to stand with us. The state has done enough, all the preparatory works have been done, and the scope of work has been done. Without the state it was impossible.”
“We need the Church in Ghana to stand with us, this is a monument to the Church, this is a monument to God and a symbol of the Christian presence in Ghana.”
The government envisioned the $450 million National Cathedral project in March 2017 as a physical representation of societal harmony, spirituality, and unity.
The multi-religious cathedral is anticipated to contain chapels and a baptistery in addition to an auditorium with 5,000 seats.
