Former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed strong criticism against the proposed construction of the National Cathedral, emphasizing the disparity between allocating $450 million for the cathedral while pressing educational needs, such as children lacking desks, persist.
In a pointed statement during a gathering with religious leaders in Wa as part of the “Building Ghana Tour” in the Upper West Region, Mahama highlighted the glaring issue of prioritizing a monumental religious structure over addressing fundamental challenges in the education sector.
The former president asserted that even God would disapprove of the allocation of such a significant amount for the construction of a cathedral while essential educational resources remain lacking.
“The President said that he pledged to God that if he won the election he would build a Cathedral for him. So it is his personal pledge and if he wants to build it, he must gather people who support that conviction to build that. And we were told that public funds were not going to be used for the Cathedral”, he said.
“But eventually, we found that the Minister of Finance was releasing public taxes. We can’t use public funds including the funds of people of other denominations to build a Cathedral for Christians alone”
“So far, 58 million dollars of public funds have been spent just to dig a deep hole and you have to ask yourself is it justified in this day and age when children don’t have desks in schools when children do not have textbooks?”
Mahama’s remarks draw attention to the ongoing debate surrounding the construction of the National Cathedral, a project championed by the government. Critics argue that the substantial financial commitment to the cathedral could be better utilized to address urgent and practical needs, particularly in the education sector.
“For five years, we have not provided our basic schools with textbooks even though we have come out with a new curriculum because we say there is no money, and you say we should use 450 million dollars to build a Cathedral, even God will be angry with us,” he concluded.
The former president’s comments resonate with concerns about the allocation of resources and the need for balanced and prioritized spending to address critical social challenges.
