The National Cathedral of Ghana (NCG) secretariat has stated the project is not a private but a public venture legally owned by the state.
The Cathedral, it sad, is a national monument and incorporated under the Companies Act, 1963 (Act 179) on July 18, 2019.
“We hope this brings to a closure the seemingly vexatious issue of whether the National Cathedral is a private or public initiative.”
“The National Cathedral is a National Monument and Asset, and not a Private project. It is however being developed in partnership between the state and the church,” a statement issued by the Secretariat on Friday said.
Ownership of the National Cathedral project and the source of funding have been subjects of debate since work commenced on the monument.
The Minority in Parliament has described the project as illegality after revelations that state funds are being sunk into the construction when it was initially claimed the cost will not be borne by the state.
The Christian Council recently joined the fray and demanded the administration must come clean on the whole venture.
Executive Director of the National Cathedral project, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, who signed the statement, however, indicated although it is a National Monument, President Akufo-Addo is determined that its building would not put undue financial burdens on the state.
“Thus, the President proposed a partnership between the State and the Ghanaian Christian community, at home and in the Diaspora, to develop it. Within the partnership, the role of the state was specified as follows: Appointment of the Architect and Design team; The Land and its Preparation; Setting up and equipping the Secretariat, and Seed Money.”
The release of the Seed money, he said, is a practical response to the commitment made by the state to the National Cathedral project, which the Minister for Finance informed Parliament, and the nation, in his Budget presentation in November 2018.
“Given the need for the public to understand this partnership, in particular the role of the state, all publications from the Secretariat, including the National Cathedral Update, sent individually to members of Parliament, including this structure and the role of the state. “Seed Money” for the National Cathedral, as part of the role of the state in the project, should therefore be public knowledge.”
“Following a procurement process approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), and with the input of the Attorney-General, a contract was developed and signed between the office of the President and Sir David Adjaye and Associates in August 2019 for full Architectural and Engineering Services for the project,” Dr. Opoku-Mensah.
Payments to Adjaye Associates, he said, are therefore the fulfilment of the State’s commitment to the “Appointment of the Architect and Design team”, and are separate from the Seed Money for the construction of the edifice.
The Secretariat admitted a cedi equivalent of $25m, representing 10% of the total cost of the project as of November 25, 2020, was released following the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between the Board of the National Cathedral and the contractors,
The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon Ebenezer Kojo Kum, he said, informed Parliament about the $25m seed money from the government to the national cathedral project during his vetting in February 2021.
“This first tranch of Seed Money was used for the mobilization of the contractors to the site, site excavation, builders works, equipment and materials, the design of the integration of a Bible Museum and Biblical Gardens to the project, and operational issues related to the domestic and international fundraising activities of the National Cathedral. The second tranch of Seed Money of GH¢25m cedis was released in May 2022 to pay the contractors for work described in section IV.”
“All the disbursements from the state to the National Cathedral, therefore, have been based on the framework for the state’s participation in the National Cathedral project. And the procurement of services using these funds have all been within legal procurement practices.”
“Similarly, the establishment of positions at the Presidency for the National Cathedral of Ghana is a practical response to the state’s commitment to “set up and equip the Secretariat” of the National Cathedral. These positions are used to coordinate and mobilize for the project.”
“These positions notwithstanding, the National Cathedral Secretariat works to keep costs down, by operating with a very thin staff, and using volunteers, including national service personnel, and seconded personnel from the churches – whose remuneration are covered by the sponsoring church,” he disclosed.
