CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL TO BEGIN NEXT YEAR MARCH

Real construction works will begin on the new National Cathedral in March next year and it will take a period of four years for complete according to the Executive Director of the Cathedral, Dr. Paul Opoku Mensah.

The Government’s plan to construct a National Cathedral to serve as a non-denominational Christian Worship Center was promised by the Akufo-Addo’s administration in 2017, which raised lots of controversies from opposition parties and certain religious leaders as ‘partiality’ to define the Nation’s religious status through Christian Worship. Despite the criticisms, the president defended the decision to proceed to his plans describing the initiative as “priorities among priorities.”

Dr. Opoku Mensah has disclosed that the key partners of the project are strongly in association for the work to start therefore the land ascertained at Ridge in Accra was being cleared of structures. A procurement strategy, which is yet to be approved by the government, involved a partnership between Ghana and foreign contractors with a minimum of 70 percent contractors coming from Ghana.

On the concerns of ejecting people on the land, the Executive Director of the Cathedral said the sacredness of the project means people will not be kicked out without the secretariat and the board being part of their relocation process.

"These are high-level installations which we cannot go and kick out; we have to be part of the relocation process," he said, adding that the board was part of the process of relocating the judges whose houses were situated on the land and which were marked for demolition.

According to Dr. Paul Opoku Mensah, although Ghanaians and certain opposition and religious leaders are not in support of the project yet he is rest assured that the completion of the national treasure will bring a change of mind to the people and they will appreciate the amazing work of the government.