In an interview with City News, Dr. Aryee said “I’m still looking for it, I think the question we have to go and ask is—since the state has told us it’s going to give us seed money, what percentage is it going to give us? … No, we’re not told, we’re just told seed money and we rely on the seed money that the government finds from time to time. .We are not told the exact amount of seed money.
He pointed out that the government has never budgeted to finance the state cash scheme.
“The project was never intended to be fully financed by the state and when we were called, we were told that. The state will do some work and the board members must ensure that we raise money to build. The cathedral was not intended to be fully financed by the state,” he emphasized.
His comments come after the leader of Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Doug Heward-Mills, revealed how he was sidelined as a trustee of the national cathedral.
In his resignation letter as a trustee, Bishop Hayward-Mills cited several reasons for his decision to withdraw from the controversial project.
He said his views and ideas on the cost and fundraising of the cathedral were sidelined.
National Cathedral begins
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with senior members of the clergy laid the foundation stone for the National Cathedral on March 5, 2020 to commence construction.
A National Cathedral Secretariat has been set up to raise funds from individuals and the private sector for its construction, but work continues apace.
Apostle Prof. as the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral Project. The Ministry of the National Cathedral of Ghana is pleased to announce the appointment of Opoku Onina.
Announcing the Board of Trustees at the Presidency on Monday, February 8, 2021, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed satisfaction that in Apostle Prof Opoku Onina, a suitable and worthy replacement has been found for the founding Trustee Chairman, Most Rev Samuel. Asante Antwi passed away on September 13, 2020.
Apostle Prof Opoku Onina in his acceptance speech expressed the trustees’ appreciation to the president for the privilege of serving as trustees and expressed gratitude for the honor the president paid them. He expressed hope that he and the team would work together to ensure the completion of the National Cathedral.
Apostle Prof Opoku Onina brings to the Chairmanship of the Board of Trustees, distinguished service to the Church in Ghana, Africa and globally.
Meanwhile, work on the cathedral has stalled months after the project’s contractor, RIBADE Company LTD, laid off more than 200 of its workers due to lack of funds.
The building site on a 14.5-acre plot of land adjacent to Ghana’s Parliament House has stalled after the government spent about GH¢200 million on the project.
A March 14, 2022, letter signed by project manager Grant Ramsey circulating on social media asked all workers to return every piece of property in their possession to the human resources office.
It said it was only following through on parts of the agreement to reduce costs because it had not received funding for the project.
