Nat’l Cathedral: SC dismisses 'incompetent' suit against Akufo-Addo

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court chaired by Justice Jones Dotse, on Tuesday, 27 November 2019 dismissed a contempt suit filed against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in relation to the construction of the National Cathedral.

The apex court described the application filed by private legal practitioner Bright Akwetey on behalf of his client Jonathan Holm, as incompetent and one that has no merit.

The justices, in their judgment, said the President was immune to both criminal and civil actions as stated by Article 57 (4 and 5) of the 1992 Constitution.

Mr Akwetey sued the President because in his view, Mr Akufo-Addo’s decision to secure land for the construction of the national cathedral was to fulfil a personal desire following a pledge he made to build the edifice.

Mr Akwetey argued that per the Constitutions of 1967, 1979 and 1992, what the President is seeking to use the land for, is not in the interest of the public, as stated by the documents.

Background

The National Cathedral of Ghana is a planned interdenominational Christian cathedral scheduled to be built in Accra, the nation's capital, as part of Ghana's 60th-anniversary celebrations. The design for the cathedral was unveiled by the President in March 2018.

This generated divided opinion in the public resulting in a backlash from those who saw the US$100 million-dollar project as a "white elephant" and a low priority.