Today, Ghanaians will celebrate the country’s 67th year of independence from colonial rule. The day also marks a day of accountability for the Akufo-Addo government.
During the 2021 mid-year budget review in Parliament on Thursday, July 29, 2021, former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced the commissioning date for the National Cathedral project.
He stated that the Cathedral would be officially opened on March 6, 2024, upon its completion.
“Mr. Speaker, work on the National Cathedral is progressing speedily, and following the program of the contractors, and with God helping us, the National Cathedral is expected to be officially commissioned on March 6, 2024. Upon completion, the National Cathedral would provide a sacred space for formal religious activities of State and symbolize the enormous contribution of faith to Nation Building.”
During parliamentary proceedings today to debate the State of the Nation Address (SONA), MP for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, reminded the House of the former Finance Minister’s statement.
Despite knowing that the project has not been completed, Sam George invited the Majority Leader Afenyo-Markin and other prominent individuals in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), to make sure they attended the non-existent commissioning ceremony.
“Let me at this juncture invite Members of Parliament, Right Honourable Speaker, tomorrow is a public holiday, but I want to on behalf of government invite you to the commissioning of the national cathedral which was advertised by the former Finance Minister now Finance Minister for International Affairs, that the national cathedral will be commissioned on the 6th March 2024. So I will love to see Honourable K. T. Hammond and Honourable Afenyo Markin at that commissioning,” Sam George.
For months, work on the project stalled due to lack of funds.
In a social media post on January 31, Mr Ablakwa noted that “recent claims by government propagandists that work has resumed on Akufo-Addo’s scandalous US$450million cathedral are absolutely false.”
He indicated that latest drone footage captured a few minutes ago by SOA Oversight confirms that the “world’s most expensive pit remains abandoned.”
The drone footage was captured on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
The construction of the National Cathedral is receiving financial support from the state, with collaboration from the Christian community. As of November 2022, the Finance Ministry disclosed that an amount of GH¢339,003,064.86 has been released for the project.
Additionally, GH¢113,040,654.86 has been paid to the consulting firm, Messers Sir David Adjaye and Associates, responsible for the cathedral’s construction. This information was provided to the parliamentary Adhoc Committee in response to a request for the total government expenditure on the National Cathedral.