Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has stated that he does not have the details of payments made in respect of the National Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to him, though the cost of the Project has triggered widespread public reactions, he is unable to presently comment substantively on the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM on Monday morning, he said, \u201cthis whole cathedral matter, I think has generated a lot of public brouhaha. I have honestly asked for a full brief to understand why we paid what at what point in time. So as I sit before you this morning, I don\u2019t have a full brief to enable me to speak to that matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that, \u201cour understanding initially is that it was supposed to be put together by the churches and the private sector, with some seed support from the state. I don\u2019t have a full brief on the details of how that has gone. So I\u2019m not going to go into [that]\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The comments by the sector minister comes in the wake of ongoing public discussions about the relevance or otherwise of the National Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following recent revelations about monies invested into the Project, scores of citizens have been divided over the relevance of the edifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a section of the populace, it is unnecessary for government to inject huge sums of money into the Project in the face of the country\u2019s growing economic woes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The critics have, therefore, advised that the state must pay attention to more pertinent issues such as the increasing rate of unemployment and the high cost of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Proponents of the Project have however argued that the National Cathedral will contribute to Ghana\u2019s tourism dividends, therefore should not be discontinued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. John Kumah, says the various criticisms against the National Cathedral have been orchestrated to cause disaffection for the Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking on\u00a0Newsfile\u00a0<\/strong>on June 25, he told host, Samson Lardy Anyenini that the allegations raised against the Project are just \u2018lies and propaganda\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to him, the country\u2019s economic difficulties have caused many people to be emotional about the subject of the National Cathedral and are spilling false news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is so much propaganda\u2026people are throwing in all sorts of things lies. I just recently heard that we paid some $50,000 to Sonnie Badu for his appearance on one of the fundraising events for the National Cathedral which turned out to be false. He has come out to deny it. I believe people are doing this to cause disaffection for the National Cathedral\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n