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People sleep on the streets of America but have national cathedrals — Nana Akomea

Kojo Emmanuel

Nana Akomea, the former Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has justified the government's decision to construct National Cathedral amidst economic hardship in the country.

Nana Akomea
Nana Akomea

He said the establishment of the cathedral is very important to Ghanaians because over 70 percent of the population are Christians adding that the Muslims have an edifice constructed and financed by the Turkish government.

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According to him, "Every promise by a politician is a personal pledge; every plan isn’t it…the building of a cathedral is very important to me, it is a pledge to me… who makes a personal promise to build a national edifice?… if you make a personal pledge then what you are going to build is not going to be for the nation.

"The building of a cathedral is very important to us; 70 percent of our population are Christians. I am very happy that our Muslim friends have got a Mosque befitting the status of their religion…built with the support of the Turkish government…Christians also will appreciate the building of a national cathedral where when there are important national events; those events can be hosted in a proper edifice."

National cathedral
National cathedral Pulse Ghana
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Though there's economic distress in the country, Nana Akomea speaking on Metro TV's Good Morning Ghana said "When you go to many countries in the world, they have this facility. When you go to America, there are still people who are sleeping on the streets… there are still people sleeping in the streets of London; they have national cathedrals for national occasions."

This comes after Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu charged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to read Proverbs 21:3 in the Bible and stop the ungodly and unconstitutional actions in the name of a National Cathedral offering unto God.

Earlier, the NDC MP published a letter alleging that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo through the Finance Minister had authorized the release of GH¢25 million for the construction of the National Cathedral project.

According to him, the release projected insensitivity on the part of a government that had failed to honour monthly payment of stipends to a category of workers amid the current economic challenges the country is facing.

"Considering the current debilitating economic crisis, why is the Akufo-Addo government releasing a colossal GH¢25 million for the National Cathedral project?" he quizzed.

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"Shockingly"...this is the same government claiming lack of funds to pay NABCo trainees, school feeding caterers, service personnel, the 3-year no-textbooks-syndrome, etc," Ablakwa stated.

He said: "This gross lack of priority cannot be pleasing to the compassionate God we all serve.

"It is also important to stress that this manifestly insensitive conduct is without parliamentary approval — we shall be demanding urgent answers in Parliament."

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, accompanied by senior members of the Clergy, laid the foundation stone for the Cathedral on March 5, 2020, to signal the start of construction.

A National Cathedral Secretariat has since been set up to raise funds from individuals and the private sector for its construction, while work continues apace.

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The cathedral will house a series of impressive chapels, a baptistery, a 5000-seat two-level auditorium, a grand central hall, music school, choir rehearsal, art gallery, shop, and multi-use spaces.

It will also be home to Africa's first Bible Museum and Documentation Centre, dedicated to Christianity and nation-building in Ghana.

Kojo Emmanuel Kojo Emmanuel

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