National Cathedral Coming! …Nana Insists Despite Controversies

The President Nana Akufo-Addo says he is unfazed by the huge controversy surrounding the construction of the proposed National Cathedral.

He was emphatic that the imposing national edifice will be certainly be built.

According to the president, all he requires is strength from Christ to bring to fruition the Cathedral expected to be built in the “Glory and Honour of God…”

Controversies

Ghanaians have expressed divergent views since news over the election controversial national cathedral broke last year.

Labour represented by the Trades Union Congress have expressed strong view on the facility indicating

that there are other pressing needs the government could put the states meager resources to instead of constructing the cathedral.

The Supreme Court last week set 16th of January 2019 to deliver its judgment on a suit filed by James Kwabena Bonfeh aka Kabila, acting General Secretary of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) against the facility.

Some Christians, Civil Society, Religious groups and Political Parties in the country have wondered if the cathedral was so important to the country now.

In memoriam

The government wants the building constructed to mark Ghana’s 60th anniversary, explaining that it is to be used for formal state occasions of a religious nature, such as presidential inaugurations, state funerals, and national thanksgiving services.

The Cathedral will sit around a 14-acre garden and will have chapels, a baptistery, a music school, an art gallery, a Bible Museum and Documentation Centre.

So far, the houses of nine Court of Appeal judges at the Ridge Roundabout in Accra have been demolished to pave way for the construction of the cathedral amidst calls for the government to look for an alternative land for the construction.

But the President addressing Catholic faithfuls at a ceremony to climax the 125th anniversary of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra at the Black Star Square yesterday quoting Philippians 4:13 said his government is on track

He is firm in his view that “by the Grace of God and through Christ who strengths me and my government, all the programmes and policies being rolled out which were once described as overly ambitious and not feasible by some, whether it is the free Senior High School, Planting For Food and Jobs, One District One Factory, One Village, One Dam, and the development of Rail and Road Infrastructure, amongst others will be implemented for the benefit of the Ghanaian people. And through Christ who strengths us, the National Cathedral will be built to the Glory and Honour of God, Amen”.

On Course

President Akufo Addo in his address reiterated the commitment of his administration to serve the country and to Improve the living standards of the Ghanaian people. The President solicited the support of the Catholic Church in Ghana and the entire Christian community to back his administration and its policies in order to achieve the development that the country so desires.

“I took a solemn oath at this same venue, to serve the country and to Improve the living standards of the Ghanaian people. I shall with God’s guidance continue to do my best to live up to my oath of office” the President said.

“Towards the achievement of this goal, government will need the support of this Church and indeed of the entire Christian community as well as all religious people and of all those who believe in the one true God” the President added.

In his sermon, the Archbishop of Cape Coast and Apostolic Administrator of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, preaching under the theme: “Celebrating 125 years of Catholic Mission in Accra; Renewing Our Commitment to Evangelism” called on the congregation to embrace once again the evangelistic assignment given to the Church by Christ and to make it their preoccupation to win souls for God.

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson