The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says Ghanaians need to recognize that the model adopted for the national cathedral project has been the most reckless model used for any national project.
“Why do I say so? There have been massive demolishing. The Scholarship Secretariat was demolished, the passport head office was demolished, the Judicial Training Institute was demolished, Judges’ bungalows were also demolished leading to a prominent Appeal Court judge resigning in protest. Then you have the Malian ambassador whose residence was demolished.”
“As we speak, the Malians are piling pressure for a replacement of the ambassador’s residence which could degenerate into a diplomatic roar,” he stated.
Mr Ablakwa was speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Thursday.
The MP for North Tongu, along with five other minority members, filed a private member’s motion demanding a probe into the stalled project, despite the injection of about 58 million dollars into the facility.
Parliament has, therefore, directed the establishment of an ad-hoc committee to conduct an inquiry into the National Cathedral project and all related matters and to make appropriate recommendations for consideration by the house.
Mr. Ablakwa stated that the campaign for the probe was against the rot, irregularities, procurement breaches, lawlessness, and conflicts of interest surrounding the national cathedral project.
“Let’s be clear. It is not an opposition per se about a temple of God. Even though Ghana has thousands of temples of God and if we have had a national discussion, I am not sure that the Ghanaian people will accept that, that should be the president’s priority,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, said last week that all institutions whose structures were demolished to make way for the construction of the National Cathedral have been fully compensated by the state.
He said these institutions have been provided with alternative public lands to relocate their businesses and activities.
Appearing before Parliament, Mr. Jinapor discredited reports that the government did not compensate the affected institutions.
He indicated that all the institutions that had their structures demolished have been duly compensated and are still in operation in various parts of Accra.
“All the affected institutions have been provided with alternative places and relocated to various areas in Accra and these institutions include public and private, and they have been adequately compensated.”
