National Cathedral construction will create jobs – Board of Trustees

Secretary to the Board of Trustees for the National Cathedral, Rev Kusi Boateng, says the cathedral when completed will address the high rate of unemployment.

These jobs, he said will come from construction work expected to begin in March 2020.

He shot down criticisms that the project fails the priority test in the face of the country’s need and deprivation.

“When such a project is being put up and people are saying in a nation where people cannot feed themselves three square meals a day and yet there are other projects ongoing. In the midst of our hunger, we’re still embarking on them’ he said.

Works on the controversial interdenominational National Cathedral at Ridge in Accra has been widely criticised by a section of the Ghanaian public.

But Reverend Boateng says he struggles to understand the seeming disagreement with the project.

He believes the 5000-seater auditorium when completed will be a compensation to Christians in Ghana.

“All of us know that the Hajj is being supported by the government yet, nobody makes noise about it.

“Christians haven’t made any noise about it and they’re also Ghanaians and I think that it is their right if the government sees it prudent to support. So, when it is time for Christians to be compensated, I think it is unfair.

“We are also citizens of this nation,” he said in an interview monitored by theghanareport.com.

Already, the government has demolished houses of judges on the proposed site for the cathedral.

Construction of the cathedral will also affect the nation’s passport office.

Government is set to spend GH₵9.2 million on the cathedral, a move the minority in parliament has vehemently opposed.

Ranking member of the foreign affairs committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has tasked government to use the nation’s scarce resources judiciously.