Accra-Ghana, Nov. 02, GNA – Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah, Executive Director, National Cathedral, has said that the construction of the minster has not been suspended, but rather stalled over lack of funds and artifacts.
“There have been issues that the project has been suspended, it has not. The construction has stalled, but the National Cathedral is almost an institution, and it will be one of the largest, so the work continues daily.
“In addition to funding, we are already engaging those who can give us artifacts because if we want to turn this into a world-class site, we need historical artifacts,” Dr. Opoku-Mensah stated at a news conference in Accra.
The press conference was organised by the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra on Wednesday to give an update on the status of the project.
Dr Opoku-Mensah’s remark follows reports that the construction of the National Cathedral project has been suspended.
He explained that the Board’s vision is to make the National Cathedral a world-class sanctuary with chapels, baptistery, bible museum, music school, art gallery, recreational gardens, basement car parks, restaurants, and flexible event spaces, as well as an auditorium that can seat 5,000 people.
Dr Opoku-Mensah said the goal was to transform Ghana into an African Christian hub and one of the leading sites for religious tourism on the continent.
Based on that concept, he stated that more funds and historical items were required to make it a reality, which is why the project has stagnated.
He explained that securing financing and artifacts would help in the cathedral’s programming, maintenance, and resourcing.
Dr. Opoku-Mensah provided an update on the acquisition of artifacts, stating that the Board acquired statues for the museum and gardens from a U.S. company, Abba Anointing Limited.
It is also in talks with Israeli companies about acquiring artifacts that would help the museum become a major world-class tourism attraction.
Concerning funding, Dr. Opoku-Mensah stated that the state had done its part by providing the seed money for the project to start, and it was now time for the private sector and Ghanaians to give their fair share to help bring the cathedral to reality.
He called for a “rational conversation” about the project, adding that the board did not want discussions that simply supported it, but rather a depoliticized national engagement about the project’s contribution to the country’s transformation.
