The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, says he will not use taxpayer money to build the national cathedral.
The former president opined that God will not be happy that the Nana Addo-led administration used $400 million to fund the construction of a cathedral, which was a personal pledge he made to him.
Mr. Mahama noted that if given the opportunity, he would allocate $400 million to buying textbooks for students or upgrading vital infrastructure such as the single road from Accra to Cape Coast to a dual carriageway, which would likely yield greater benefits for the nation.
He stressed that it was a terrible idea for the government to prioritise the construction of a national cathedral over crucial educational and infrastructural needs in Ghana.
He said this during a public lecture at Wisconsin State University.
“For me, the national cathedral was a covenant somebody made with God, an individual. He said he swore to God that if he became president, he would build a cathedral for him. From my perspective, it is his promise to build a house for God.
“I am sure that if he really had asked God what he wanted him to do with $400 million; I don’t think God would have chosen a cathedral when $400 million could have provided textbooks for all our students. I don’t think God would have asked you for a cathedral when we could have used the money to dualise the road from Accra to Cape Coast. People die every day on that road because it’s a single road.
“So, God didn’t ask for it, somebody promised it to God, it was a personal promise and if I have $400 million God will be angry with me if I use it to build that cathedral. I am not going to take taxpayers’ money or borrow $400 million from any source to build this cathedral,” he added.
Source: rainbowradioonline.com
