Reggae/Dancehall artiste Samini has expressed his concerns about the government’s decision to construct the National Cathedral, especially given the current economic challenges facing the people of Ghana.
He has raised the point that building the National Cathedral seems like a misplaced priority when the nation is grappling with economic difficulties and striving to address the needs of its citizens. Samini emphasized that it would be more prudent for the government to allocate the funds to other sectors of the economy, which could help alleviate the prevailing economic hardships faced by the people and bring smiles to their faces.
During an interview with Hitz FM on Thursday, October 13, 2023, Samini passionately expressed his disapproval of the government’s decision to build the National Cathedral, arguing that it is unnecessary because there are already numerous synagogues in the country. His comments highlight a larger public debate about the allocation of resources and priorities in the face of economic challenges.
“I was disappointed. I think it’s a misplaced priority in these times for any developing country to even buy into. If their leader should say, let’s build a synagogue and go and worship God.
“Today, everything is so smart that people would listen to a podcast at home as their Sunday church rather than get up and go anywhere,” he said when quizzed on what he makes of the government’s decision to build the National Cathedral.
Samini urged the government to redirect the nation’s resources towards agriculture and other key sectors of the economy. He emphasized that this shift in focus could enhance production and play a significant role in addressing the prevailing economic challenges.
“So that big building [National Cathedral] idea is obsolete. That same structure and the amount of resources needed to put that structure up can be channeled into different sectors and we will be smiling.
“Agriculture alone would turn around if that amount of money is pumped there. Some say we have a lot of churches in our neighborhood. I imagine if all these churches were anymore, we don’t need anymore.”
The government has decided to suspend the National Cathedral project due to financial difficulties. This decision has come under criticism from some public figures who argue that undertaking such a project during a period of economic challenges is not a prudent course of action.