Professor Ranford Gyampo, a prominent political science lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG), has pushed the clergy to generate cash for the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Free Senior High School program rather than the National Cathedral.
He stated that rather than soliciting cash for the construction of a church edifice, men of God should raise monies to improve the country’s hospitals for the benefit of Ghana’s inhabitants.
According to Prof Gyampo, “There is the urgent need for these pastors at the forefront of raising funds for the construction of the church house to channel these efforts at making some of the government’s social intervention programmes such as Free Senior High School and School Feeding Programme among others in the country better.”
He remarked that the Free SHS policy is one key initiative that requires the clergy’s assistance, since the cathedral’s building, in his opinion, is a misguided priority.
His comments came after the Ghanaian government cleared the transfer of GH25 million for the construction of the National Cathedral in Accra through the Ministry of Finance.
In an interview with Accra FM, Prof. Gyampo stated that the government utilizing public monies to build a National Cathedral is not the way to go at this time of economic difficulties in the country.
Quoting the Bible to support his point, Prof Gyampo noted that when David wanted to construct a temple for God, “the Lord Almighty instructed him to put it on wait,” and that “in the same manner, if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wants to build a church to fulfill his commitment with God, it should be placed on hold since Ghanaians are suffering.”