Ablakwa, Sammy Gyamfi lead NDC MPs to ‘commission’ uncompleted National Cathedral to mock govt

Opposition Members of Parliament, led by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, employed a satirical approach by staging a symbolic commissioning of the unfinished National Cathedral project.

Their aim was to spotlight what they perceive as the government’s failure to complete the project.

Initially, their efforts to access the construction site were obstructed by security personnel, preventing them from issuing a statement at the location.

Originally scheduled for commissioning on March 6, as mentioned by former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta in the 2021 budget statement, the cathedral has drawn criticism, particularly from minority MPs dissatisfied with its costs.

Despite being denied access to the site, the minority MPs reached a compromise with security personnel to hold a press conference at the entrance, expressing their discontent with the ongoing project and its expenses.

This symbolic act of commissioning the incomplete National Cathedral highlighted their critique of the government’s handling of the project.

“When the act of parliament had to grind on him [Ofori-Atta], he had to come and beg. Your instructions are that we should not enter, we will not enter, we will stand at the entrance,” Sam George, MP for Ningo-Prampram, said.

Subsequently, they symbolically initiated the commissioning of the cathedral by performing a sod-cutting ceremony on behalf of the president.
“We commission this expensive hole on behalf of Dr. Bawumia, President Akufo-Addo and Ken Ofori-Atta.”