Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have no objection to Ghana having a National Cathedral.
According to him, the concerns raised by the NDC are primarily about the proposed location of the project and how it would be financed.
Mr Ayariga made the remarks when the Christian Council of Ghana paid a courtesy call on him.
He called on leaders of the various Christian denominations to come together, deliberate on the National Cathedral project and reach a consensus before engaging President Mahama for further direction.
The Minister proposed bringing together leaders of the Catholic Church, Protestant denominations and other Christian organisations to have a dispassionate discussion on the project.
He said the discussions should focus on key issues, including the cost of the proposed Cathedral, its location and the source of funding.
“Based on what I pick from the conversations, then I will organise for us to engage with His Excellency, the President, for some direction as to how to proceed,” Mr Ayariga said.
He stressed that President Mahama did not believe there was anything wrong with Ghana having a National Cathedral.
“I know for a fact that the President does not think there is anything wrong with the country having a national cathedral,” he stated.
Mr Ayariga, however, acknowledged that the NDC had concerns about the location and funding arrangements for the project.
“Again, I know that the NDC as a party had issues with the location. We had issues with funding sources. We just need to sit, all of us, around the table and build a consensus, and then the President will be able to lead us in the right direction,” he added.
The Minister expressed confidence that a united Christian community in Ghana and abroad could mobilise the necessary resources to construct the National Cathedral.
He urged Christian leaders to put aside their differences and develop a common position on the project before presenting their recommendations to the President.
Mr Ayariga cited the National Mosque as an example of how religious unity and international partnerships could help finance major national religious projects.
“If we secure a united front as Christians, I believe His Excellency President John Mahama will be able to lead us to wherever we want to go as a church,” he said.
He therefore encouraged the Christian community to work together to resolve the outstanding issues surrounding the National Cathedral and establish a clear and broadly supported framework for the project.
