NPP's loss not about arrogance, it was economic hardship – Freddie Blay

Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has described the public uproar over the National Cathedral as “petty,” arguing that although the project is controversial, it remains a long-term national asset that future governments will revisit and complete.

Blay, speaking to Serwaa Amihere on GHOne TV in an interview monitored by MyNewsGh, said criticisms of the project are largely driven by political mischief rather than objective national interest.

“To me, this National Cathedral thing is petty. People may not see the need now, but they’ll find a use for it later on,” he asserted.

“I supported it. I thought it was a good idea. I’ve travelled to countries that have national cathedrals and mosques. In the long run, such structures unite people and even generate more revenue than what was spent on them.”

Responding to arguments that Ghana still has schools under trees and hospitals lacking basic beds, Blay drew a biblical analogy.

“Are you a Christian?” he asked. “Remember when expensive oil was used to wash Jesus’ feet? Some questioned it. But Jesus said, ‘The poor will always be with us.’ Sometimes, leaders must make decisions that others don’t immediately understand.”

Blay believes that leadership decisions like this often face backlash in the short term but are appreciated in hindsight.

He cited infrastructure such as the Jubilee House and the Tema Motorway extension, noting that these were initially labeled “wasteful” but later proved to be beneficial.

“I don’t believe the cost of that building exceeds what people are claiming. And even if it does, in time, another government will realize its importance and return to complete it,” he predicted.

Blay, however, admitted that the cathedral may have contributed to the party’s electoral losses.

“Let’s accept that. It may have been used against the party. But it didn’t dig a major hole in our economy,” he said.