In light of the current economic climate, President Akufo-Addo has rejected appeals for the government to continue building the National Cathedral.
The President declared that there is never a good moment to erect these memorials. Akufo-Addo responds to detractors by saying, "There is no suitable moment to build a cathedral."
Speaking for the first time since the controversy surrounding the project's finance, he claimed that the building of the edifice will complete a gap in the spiritual architecture of the country. After completion, the cathedral would benefit not only Ghana but all of Africa, the President continued.
He asserted, however, that the Christian community should bear the burden while the state provides help. "There is no suitable time to construct a cathedral." Akufo-Addo claims critics. On Tuesday, July 26, President Akufo-Addo delivered a speech at the symposium of the episcopal conferences of Africa and Madagascar.
"My own position has always been that even though the Cathedral will be a significant national institution, the expense should be mostly paid by the Christian community, with the state giving the site and early financing to get the project off the ground," the author said.
There has never been what may be termed a suitable period to build a cathedral, according to the histories of all the major cathedrals of the world. Usually, it has taken decades or even centuries to finish," the President stated.
The administration has come under fire for choosing to construct a national cathedral at a time when the economy is struggling. The country's debt has been estimated at GH391bn, with the main opposition party, NDC, leading the pack of critics. In May, inflation was 29.8%, or 78 percent of GDP.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a North Tongu MP, charged that the government had utilised state funds to build the cathedral and that the Finance Ministry had released illegal monies totaling GH200 million from the taxpayers for the project.
However, the National Secretariat of the church has denied the MP's allegations. Due to a lack of funding, the cathedral's construction has been put on hold.
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