Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has defended the National Cathedral’s building by saying that “if we put our widows mite in there,” the Lord will understand.
Because “we are impoverished,” he continued, Ghanaians should not suffocate their religiousness or spirituality.
The government was chastised for releasing GHc25 million in seed financing for the project’s completion.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a North Tongu Member of Parliament, questioned the choice to distribute the monies in the face of economic difficulties.
In Mr Ablakwa’s view, the funds could have been used to pay trainees under the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) programme, school feeding caterers and also service personnel.
A letter dated 31st March and written to the Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD) by the Minister of Finance Ken Ofori Atta said “Authority is hereby granted to release the sum of 25million Ghana Cedis as additional seed money to the National Cathedral Secretariat for the construction of the National for part payment of the outstanding claim from RIBADE.”
But in a tweet reacting to this, Mr Ablakwa said “Considering the current debilitating economic crisis, why is the Akufo-Addo govt releasing a colossal GHS25million for the National Cathedral project? Shockingly, this is the same govt claiming lack of funds to pay NABCo trainees, School feeding caterers, service personnel, the 3-year no-textbooks-syndrome, etc.
