A senior political science lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG), Prof Ranford Gyampo, has called on the clergy at the forefront of raising funds for the construction of the National Cathedral to channel their efforts into raising funds for the betterment of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in the Greater Accra Region (GAR).

According to him, it will be important for the reverend ministers to channel their efforts into making the hospital better for the people of Ghana rather than raising funds for the construction of a church building.

“There is the urgent need for these pastors at the forefront of raising funds for the construction of the church house to channel these efforts at making some of the government’s social intervention programmes such as Free Senior High School and School Feeding Programme among others in the country better,” he said.

Prof Gyampo argued that Free SHS is one major programme that needs the intervention of the clergy, as the construction of the cathedral, in his view, is a misplaced priority.

He stressed that developing infrastructure over the development of the people is not the way to go.  

Prof Gyampo made this call in reaction to the government’s decision to finance the construction of the National Cathedral with an amount of GHS25 million.

Speaking on Accra100.5FM’s morning show, Ghana Yensom, on Monday, June 6, 2022, in an interview with sit-in host Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman, Prof Gyampo noted that using public funds for the construction of a National Cathedral is not the way to go at this time of economic hardships in the country.

Quoting the Bible to back his point, Prof Gyampo said when David wanted to build a temple for God, “the Lord Almighty asked him to put it on hold so in the same way, if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wants to build a church to fulfil his covenant with God, it should be put on hold because Ghanaians are suffering.”