2023 budget: GH¢80m earmarked for National Cathedral unacceptable – Minority

The Minority in Parliament has kicked against plans by government to earmark GHC80 million for the construction of the national cathedral as contained in the 2023 budget statement delivered by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

According to the Minority, an additional GHC80 million for the construction of the national cathedral will bring the total amount spent on the project to GHC420 million.

The estimated cost of the project is $400million.

The Minority in a press conference addressed by its leader, Haruna Iddrisu questioned if the cathedral was a national priority.

He said the GHC80 million does not constitute a spending priority at this time of economic crisis where the country is a cup in hand begging the IMF for a $3billion fund to support the economy.

“For a government that is unable to print textbooks for basic school pupils several years after introducing new curricular, unable to pay NABCO arrears and that is indebted to contractors and suppliers to the tune of over GHC40 billion, this is most imprudent and unacceptable,” Mr Iddrisu stated.

The national cathedral was President Akufo-Addo’s pledge to God during the 2016 election if he was elected President.

It has since become a national project.

The project is expected to provide a sacred space and infrastructure for the formal religious activities of the nation, like state funerals and presidential inaugural services.

The government promised the cathedral will be funded by the private sector but so far some GHC420 million of the taxpayers’ money has been pumped into the project.