Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has criticised the expenditure on the National Cathedral, arguing that the funds committed to the project could have been used to complete some stalled hospitals under the Agenda 111 programme.
Speaking during the district-level launch of the Free Primary Health Care programme in the Bolga East Constituency in the Upper East Region on Thursday, August 13, Dr Ayine said the issue had become relevant amid renewed calls for the National Cathedral by some eminent religious leaders.
He said a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on the National Cathedral was presented to him on Friday, August 7, and that the expenditure outlined in the report raised questions about how public resources were prioritised.
“Mr. President, it is better to complete Agenda 111 than to spend money on a national cathedral. I want to say this. The money that was spent on the National Cathedral from the report of PWC that was presented to me just last Friday.
“The important message is that the money could have been used to complete the district hospital,” he said.
Dr Ayine questioned the manner in which the National Cathedral project was planned, saying the construction of a religious facility should have been undertaken differently.
“I have the report, you don’t build a house of God in the manner in which they went about it. That is all I can say,” he added.
He urged President John Mahama’s administration to prioritise the completion of stalled Agenda 111 projects rather than committing additional public resources to the National Cathedral.
Former President Akufo-Addo envisioned the National Cathedral as a significant religious and national landmark.
Since its start, the project has garnered a lot of public attention, especially over its funding arrangements, spending, and alleged corruption surrounding the contract for the construction of the project.
Due to Ghana’s economic difficulties and conflicting calls for public investment in vital areas like infrastructure, healthcare, and education, the project has come under criticism with calls for fund to be diverted into areas.
