Chief Operations Officer at the Dalex Finance Mr Joe Jackson has said public money should not be used to finance the National Cathedral project.
He says the project can go on but the financing should come from private individuals, not from the public purse.
Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday June 4, he said ” the Cathedral should go ahead but it should not come from public funds. it should not be public money.”
“The project can go on,” he stressed.
The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance authorized the release of ¢25million for the construction of the National Cathedral in Accra.
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 Cathedral for part payment of the outstanding claim from RIBADE.”
This matter has raised concerns among some Ghanaians especially the Minority in Parliament.
For instance, North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa questioned the government for releasing the amount of ¢25million for the project in the midst of economic challenges.
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.
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.
“This gross lack of priority cannot be pleasing to the compassionate God we all serve. It is also important to stress that this manifestly insensitive conduct is without parliamentary approval — we shall be demanding answers in Parliament.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana