Flag bearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama says God will be angry if his administration continues the construction of the National Cathedral while basic schools do not have textbooks.
Addressing the religious community as part of his building Ghana tour, the former President described the idea for the construction of the National Cathedral as a very controversial one.
“The President said that he made a pledge to God that if he won the election, he would build a Cathedral for Him. So it is a personal pledge and if he wants to build it he must gather people who support that conviction to build it.
“We were told that public funds were not going to be used for the Cathedral but eventually we found that the Ministry of Finance was releasing taxes. Our taxes are paid not only by Christians, they are paid by Muslims. So we can’t use public funds including the funds of other denominations to build the Cathedral for Christians alone,” the former President stated.
He said the government has so far spent 58 million dollars on digging a big hole for the National Cathedral alone.
According to him, that huge amount can be used to solve the pressing needs of school children such as the provision of desks among others.
“You have to ask yourself when in this day and age where children do not have desks in schools. When children do not have textbooks. For five years you have not provided our basic school children with textbooks even though we have come out with a new curriculum.
“Because we say we do not have money, and yet you say we should use 450 million dollars to build a Cathedral even God will be angry with us,” he stated.
The NDC flag bearer stated that his administration will discuss with the religious leaders what the space will be used for.