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Let’s complete construction of the National Cathedral – Andrew Egyapa Mercer
The Minister-designate for the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has called for a need to complete the construction of the National Cathedral.
According to him, ” It is our national asset in its current state, and, in my view, it must be completed.”
He made this call today during his vetting in parliament.
Responding to a question from the MP for Adaklu in the Volta region, Kwame Governs Agbodza Mr. Mercer said “Funding has gone in there, and I’m not so sure whether the jest that it is the World’s Most Expensive hole is palatable to anybody.”
According to him, the Cathedral is a national asset which must be completed.
“It is our national asset that is in that state and it has to be completed,” he said.
Mr. Mercer expressed his resolve to appeal to his colleagues in parliament to approve the budget for the swift construction of the National Cathedral.
“If you want a definitive answer, if I want an opportunity to request parliament consider and to approve a budget for the construction of the National Cathedral, yes,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I do not know the details of the financing positions of today. But it’s obvious, I believe to all of us that the private contributions that were expected weren’t as forthcoming. I recall that in the 2023 budget, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta requested some public funds to enable us to move the project to its conclusion, which was resisted by the House,” he said.
The president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2023 assured the nation that the controversial “National Cathedral” will be ready by March 6 2024.
Unfortunately, the project is still at the foundation stage, yet to be completed.
It would be recalled that the construction of the cathedral faced heavy criticism from the public, leading to some individuals asserting that the government has not been transparent with funds allocated for the construction.
Surprisingly, the Founder and General Overseer of United Denominations of Action Chapel Churches Worldwide, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, and President of the Eastwood Anaba Ministries, Rev. Eastwood Anaba, resigned from the Board of Trustees overseeing the construction of the National Cathedral in Ghana on October 12, 2023.
The founder and leader of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, also resigned from the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral project in August 2022.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
