We’re initiators of ¢100 National Cathedral donation campaign, not government – Secretariat

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The National Cathedral Secretariat has reiterated that the mobilisation of funds towards the construction of the National Cathedral is not a part of the government’s programme.

The Secretariat says the facility is only supported the government as it spearheads its own fundraising activities under the leadership of the Board of Trustees.

This comes on the back of criticism that greeted the Finance Minister’s call for Ghanaians to donate towards the construction.

Presenting the 2021 Mid-Year Budget Review statement on Thursday, the Ken Ofori-Atta revealed a ‘¢100-a-Month Club’ intending to mobilise “one million Ghanaians who will donate towards the construction of the National Cathedral.”

“We look forward to Mr Speaker and members of this august House joining the ‘¢100-a-Month Club’ and thus adding their names to the historic coalition that would build the National Cathedral to the glory of God and the edification of our nation and its people,” he entreated.

In this regard, he further announced a shortcode to facilitate the collection set to be launched as the ‘Ketewa Biara Nsua’ programme on August 12.

But a cross-section of Ghanaians will not have it.

They are questioning the basis on which government will make such a call when there are many important but stagnated national projects begging for financial support.

But speaking in defence of the drive to Accra-based Citi FM, CEO of the Secretariat, Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah, explained that “this is not a government initiative.”

“It was an update of the fundraising we said was going to happen, and it is not only happening, but it has become this creative process where new initiatives are introduced”.

He said the launch was “to ensure that as many Ghanaians as possible are given the opportunity to write their names in the history of the Cathedral.”

In November 2018, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, whiles delivering the 2019 budget statement in Parliament, disclosed that government is, among other things providing the seed capital for the construction.

He, however, failed to mention how much government will commit as seed money to the project.

“The state is facilitating this process providing the land, the Secretariat, and seed money for the preparatory phase,” he said.

Government says the National Cathedral is expected to be officially opened on March 6, 2024.