Story by Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy
The Board of Trustees overseeing Ghana’s National Cathedral project has unequivocally rejected proposals to repurpose the stalled development into a cultural convention center, affirming that the project must be brought to fruition in its original form.
In a forthright and resolute statement, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, Executive Director of the National Cathedral Secretariat, asserted that the Board has not received any formal communication from the government regarding the purported plans.
The Board posited that the National Cathedral remains a vital national project of profound spiritual and cultural significance, providing a sacred infrastructure for the formal religious activities of the state, including state funerals and national thanksgiving services.
Dr. Opoku-Mensah emphasized that former President John Mahama’s declaration of July 1 as Ghana’s official National Day of Prayer further reinforces the imperative need for a dedicated religious space of national importance.
The Board also underscored the project’s cultural dimension, including a Bible Museum that chronicles the history and contributions of the Church in Ghana and Africa. The Secretariat affirmed that all architectural designs for the project have been completed, and the site is poised for full-scale construction once adequate resources are secured. The Board added that it is currently engaging stakeholders on a roadmap to restart and complete the project, including efforts to depoliticize the conversation and establish a broader partnership between the state, the Church, and civil society to mobilize the necessary funding.
“The National Cathedral was proposed to provide a sacred infrastructure for the formal religious activities of the state, including state funerals and national thanksgiving services,” Dr. Opoku-Mensah explained. “The integration of additional elements, including a Bible Museum that tells the history and contributions of the Church in Ghana and Africa, including the Ghanaian and African diaspora, ensures the Cathedral is also developed as a heritage and cultural site that promotes religious pilgrimage and international tourism.”
The Board’s stance reflects its unrelenting commitment to completing the National Cathedral project, a testament to the country’s rich spiritual heritage and cultural identity.
