Spokesperson of former President John Mahama’s 2020 campaign team has poo-pooed the idea of Ghana constructing a National Cathedral.
Quoting the Dalai Lama on Twitter Saturday, James Agyenim Boateng posted that the focus of all religious traditions should be to strive for inner compassion and goodness and not to build temples on the outside.
Mr. Agyenim Boateng’s comment adds to the steaming debate about whether or not the National Cathedral should be constructed.
While some are opposed to the idea in its entirety on grounds that the state should not meddle in religious affairs, others are only against the idea of taxpayers’ money being pumped into the project.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has consistently defended the project and has also stated that the government only intends to provide seed money and land for the project.
“…through Christ who strengthens us, the National Cathedral will be built to the glory and honour of God,” he said at the climax of the 125th-anniversary celebration of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra on Sunday.
But the nation remains heavily divided on the topic especially in social media posts and reactions.
In other words after all our problems are solved. In that case, there will never be a good time to build a national cathedral then; not even a house of parliament or a national sports stadium.
Go ahead and build the national Cathedral… After that we will demand the national shrine!
Among other reasons critics oppose the construction of the cathedral is because the land where the landmark will be based, currently houses several state offices and is home to the residence of Appeals Court Judges.
The judges were, however, asked to relocate from the bungalows in August to enable demolition of the five-year-old buildings.
Acting CPP General Secretary of opposition political party, Convention People’s Party (CPP), has dragged the government to the Supreme Court over the issue.
“Ghana must at all times remain religiously neutral,” he said in his closing remarks.
Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Dame, however, argued that Ghana has for many years observed principal religious celebrations as public holidays and cannot be one to not recognise the existence of a Supreme Being of God.
The Supreme Court has set January 16, 2019, to deliver judgement on the matter.