Global CEO of the HuD Group, Dr. Yaw Perbi has attributed the brouhaha surrounding the construction of the National Cathedral project to government’s inability to galvanise the people.
He believes government would find it easier to implement most of its initiatives if only it could “intelligently” win Ghanaians over.
“The President has not shown great leadership in terms of casting leadership for this and galvanising the people. Leadership they say is about influencing the people and so when you turn around, and you realize no one is following, you have to go back to the drawing table. People are not excited with the cathedral project, not even Christians.”
“This is an issue of competence and in terms of competence, government has not proven to be emotionally intelligent with its initiatives. There has been poor communication and governance. Aside from the National Cathedral, there have been others like the E-levy,” Dr. Perbi said on Citi FM/CitiTV‘s current affairs show The Big Issue.
The National Cathedral is a promise President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made to God ahead of the 2016 general elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo said he promised to build a national cathedral for God if he became president and pushed for the project after he was sworn into office in 2017.
He described the project as a “priority among priorities” but however said it will be funded by the Christian community.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in 2018 explained that: “The state is facilitating this process by providing the land, the Secretariat, and seed money for the preparatory phase. This National Cathedral partnership framework operationalizes, and indeed is a practical expression of the social partnership envisaged to foster participatory development of the country as our collective goal.”
Although the initial budget was pegged at $100 million, the amount has over the years ballooned to almost $400 million.
Government in June 2022 granted the release of GH¢25 million to the National Cathedral Secretariat as additional seed money for the construction of the project.
A letter, signed by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to the Controller and Accountant’s General, directed that the money be credited to Ribade Limited, for part payment of outstanding claims.