Minority in Parliament file motion for probe into National Cathedral project
The Minority in Parliament has filed a motion for a probe into state funds invested in constructing the National Cathedral.
Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed this to Joy News on Thursday in an interview on Upfront.
The North Tongu MP believes that the probe is necessary due to what he describes as the “avalanche of putrefying rots and illegalities” perpetrated by the government in constructing the national cathedral.
“I can confirm this evening that we are filing a motion. Remember that earlier; we had filed three urgent questions…we decided that we will have a full-scale parliamentary probe and so we have filed that motion now waiting for the verdict of the Honourable Speaker,” he said.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo must come out publicly and apologise to Ghanaians, the clergy and the Christian community for the various controversies surrounding the project if he indeed deems it a ‘priority of priorities.
“He [President Akufo-Addo] must now come out from hiding and address the nation, admit to all the errors, apologise to the nation and all these eminent priests and the Christian community he has misled.
“And he should start taking steps, walk back and be truthful and sincere and put out the real objectives that he intends the Ghanaian people should pay for this project,” he added.
Meanwhile, the immediate past president of Full Gospel Church International has asked government to set up an independent Inter Council Committee of clergymen to probe controversies surrounding the National Cathedral Project.
This, Bishop Samuel Mensah said, is necessary to allow for transparency and accountability regarding the project, particularly when the government has called for donations of funds to finance the project.
“It is not too clear…it would probably be helpful if we should form Inter council committee to investigate this at least for purposes of integrity and to keep faith with the people so that we can have an independent investigation on this whole saga.
“Find out how much money has been released, where the money has gone to, what is the state of the situation so that at least we can convey that information to the public and let the public be educated and well-informed on this…I think we all deserve to know what is going on,” he told Raymond Acquah on Upfront on Thursday.
Currently, work at the construction site of the National Cathedral has stalled.
Executive Director of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah, explained that the status quo can be attributed to “the vagaries of the fundraising”.
In a statement issued on Friday, June 17, he assured that construction would soon restart.
JoyNews checks at the project site on Monday, June 13, showed that work on the project has reportedly stalled for the past three months.
Source: Ghana News
