Executive Director for the National Cathedral Secretariat, Dr. Paul Opoku Mensah, has indicated that there are divided opinions among members of the Board of Trustees with regards to the source of funding for the National Cathedral Project.
Dr. Paul Opoku Mensah, while engaging the press today, November 1, noted that four suggestions have been put out on the source of funding. They are; allowing the state to fund the project, no funds from the state, acquiring a loan, and only fundraising.
According to Dr. Paul Opoku Mensah, members of the Board of Trustees are bent on resigning should their proposal be sidelined.
“To give you one scenario, fund-raising, there are four opinions on this. Namely, let the state fund it, no state funding, loan and no loan, only fundraising.
“All of these are entrenched positions with their proponents threatening to resign if their positions are not adopted. So one group which says the church has done enough for the country. The state should build this project with state funds and there are board members who agree that the church has contributed enough before independence and after independence.
“There are others who are saying absolutely not. The state should not have in it at all. If the state provides more money, they are going to resign. I’m talking about the same with different opinions. There is one who says there is no way you can raise money to build this. We will go for a loan and later repay it. Some will say, when God called them to Ministries, he told them never to rake loans and so if this project takes loans, they are going to resign,” he revealed.
Dr. Paul Opoku Mensah did not disclose which member of the board subscribes to the four proposals he listed.
The members of the Board include; Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost – Chairperson, Most Rev. Charles Palmer Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra – Vice-Chairperson, Most Rev. Bishop Justice Ofei Akrofi, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus – Member, Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church – Member, Most Rev T. K. Awotwi Pratt, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church – Member, Rev Dr Joyce Aryee, Executive Director, Salt and Light Ministries – Member, Rev Victor Kusi-Boateng, Founder of Power Chapel Worldwide – Member/Secretary, Rev Dr Frimpong Manso, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God – Member and Kingsley Ofosu Ntiamoah, Executive Director, Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.
Currently, the state is providing financial assistance for the construction of the state-owned project. Also, the Christian community is partnering with the state to build the project.
In November 2022, the Finance Ministry revealed that an amount of ¢339,003,064.86 has been released for the construction of the National Cathedral so far.
The Ministry also added that a total amount of ¢113,040,654.86 has been paid to the consulting firm for the construction of the Cathedral, Messers Sir David Adjaye and Associates.
This was contained in a document from the Ministry to the parliamentary Adhoc Committee based on a request for the total amount spent by the Government on the National Cathedral.
As of June 2022, major donors to the project include the Church of Pentecost, which has donated a total of GH¢700,000 through the Church of Pentecost Headquarters GH¢200,000 and The Church of Pentecost (General Headquarters) which has contributed GH¢500,000 – making it the single largest donor.
Other major donors are the Southern Ghana Union of SDA, Presbyterian Church of Ghana and Action Chapel International, which have contributed GH¢200,000 each.
The Methodist Church Ghana, Triumphant Baptist Church-Kwadaso, Christ Apostolic Church International, the Breaking Yoke Ministry Church, and the Christian Action Faith Ministry have also donated GH¢100,000 each.
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