The National Cathedral project will cost Ghana over Gh¢1billion and not $400million as eatimated by the government, says North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.[ads2]
According to the astute lawmaker, the cost of compensations, demolition, tax waivers, consultancy, among other stuff needed for the construction of the National Cathedral is estimated to cost GH¢1 billion.
“The taxes are being misused, GH₵339,003,064.86 million cash withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund, but that is not all. My estimation is that billions will be used, because the cost of compensation, demolition, contracts escalations and all the tax waivers have not been added. So what’s going on here? The project will cost over GH₵1 billion and not the budgeted $400 million by the government,” Mr Ablakwa told Citi News.
He added that; “in the latest revelation I made, GH₵28.2 million has been paid to one Cary Summers who is an American consultant. What’s the correlation with the Cathedral? Did Jesus Christ pass through the United States, because of this consultancy from the US, for the National Cathedral, we just hand over GH₵28.2 million to him. Can you believe that? Jesus Christ! Are we [Ghanaians] that wealthy that we don’t know what to do with our money? Are we under some curse?”[ads3]
Meanwhile, the National Cathedral Secretariat in a statement said “with regard to the amount paid to the consulting firm, Messrs Sir David Adjaye and Associates in relation to the Cathedral project, release made by the Ministry is in the total amount of GH¢113,040,564.86”.
Even though Ghanaians have criticised the project, President Akufo-Addo in his recent visit to the site has called for support from the Christian community to enable him fulfil the promise he made to God.
He said that, “as I have said before, the National Cathedral will not just be another monument adorning the skyline of Accra, it will be a rallying point for the entire Christian community to come together and worship… I am therefore committed to working with the Board of Trustees to ensure the completion of this project to the glory of God.”[ads4]
