Dr. Joyce Aryee, a member of the National Cathedral’s board of trustees, addressed worries regarding staff payments during the construction halt, labeling them “ridiculous” and asserting that it is not unusual for projects to face challenges in raising necessary funds.
Her response follows growing concerns over the project’s stalled progress and its impact on staff salaries.
Speaking on the sidelines of a symposium organized in collaboration with TD Jakes’ divinity school on Monday, October 14, Dr Aryee said, “If a project is on hold, it doesn’t mean that people are not working to keep it going.
I’m surprised, I don’t even want to comment on it, as ridiculous as this. No, I won’t comment.
She further challenged the logic behind the concerns, adding, “So you establish an organisation, the organisation should stop because you don’t have money to continue a certain aspect of the organisation. Is that it? Answer it yourself.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, Executive Director of the National Cathedral, has sought to clarify misconceptions surrounding the project, emphasizing that it goes beyond being just a church building.
He highlighted the potential benefits the cathedral could bring, including revenue generation and showcasing Ghana’s rich cultural heritage to the world.
The National Cathedral project has faced strong opposition, with critics questioning the appropriateness of government involvement and raising concerns about a lack of financial transparency.
However, Dr. Opoku-Mensah remains optimistic, particularly following a symposium held in collaboration with TD Jakes’ divinity school. The event aimed to educate the public about the broader functions of the cathedral.
Envisioned as a historic landmark, the cathedral is intended to serve as a sacred space for religious activities. Additionally, it will feature Africa’s first Museum of the Bible, a collaboration with the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
“The symposium is just conceived as the National Cathedral’s response to what in Ghana we perceive to be the return initiatives and offer a pathway mediated by faith to connecting Ghana to the African diaspora.
This collaboration will seek to develop a Pan-African community to collectively work to address historical, racial and contemporary of Africa’s contributions to theology practice.
“We seek to demonstrate the conveying functions of the National Cathedral, the National Cathedral project is often misunderstood, conceived almost entirely as a physical church building. The National Cathedral is more than a church and it includes critical national, continental and global conversations.”
He congratulated TD Jakes’ divinity school for taking students across the African continent.
