The national cathedral project continues to receive mixed reaction. After several weeks of discussing the subject, IMF bail out came to take over the media space thereby reducing the attention on national cathedral scandal.
CitizenOne has chanced upon a video making rounds on social media where students are emotionally debating the project. In the 3 minutes video, students from Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High School (YAGSHS) and Osei Tutu Senior High School (OTSHS) were engaged in a debate competition and the motion was ‘The national cathedral, a necessity to the nation.’ Those in favour of the project thus YAGSHS had finished making their defends and it was time for OTSHS the project to make their submission.
Leader of the OTSHS stood up and addressed the people. He first acknowledged the fact that Ghana is a circular nation with Christian domination. He said Ghana does not need a cathedral to please God at this material moment. He argued that there are a dozen of projects which have been abandoned due to lack of funding. These include hospitals, schools, roads and factories. If there are funding, God in His own wisdom would had encouraged us to complete those projects if He was consulted.
He said the cost of the project is another worrying issue.
According to him, Hon. John Jinapo has predicted that the cathedral will cost Ghana 1 billion dollars. He said this prediction is gradually coming through because it was initially estimated to cost 100 million dollars but later revised to 200 million then 350 and currently 450 million dollars. He added that Ghana paid a colossal amount of 21 million to one David Adjaye as consultancy fee for the project. Meawhile Ghana needed just 4 million dollars to eliminate schools under trees.
The debater added that many cities and towns suffer flooding anytime it rains in Ghana and the city planners needed 5 million dollars to construct proper drainage systems. This was not released by the finance ministry hence people continue to die from flooding and properties worth millions are destroyed. He wondered who in his senses will do this.
According to the debator, Ghana is on its knees begging IMF for 2 billion dollars to safe the economy yet we are spending quarter of that amount building a cathedral.
He said as we speak, teachers are on strike over 20% cost of living allowance, yet our priority is a cathedral. This according to the student is disheartening.
He concluded on the alleged corruption associated with the cathedral. He said, the house of God must be kept holy. “If there are acts of corruption, it should never be associated with God“, he stated.
While delivering the explicit speech which was picked by Joy Learning TV, all audience watched and listened with rapt attention as if to say “Nana Addo must hear this“.
Reacting to this video on social media, many people tagged President Akufo Addo while others expressed disappointment in the student for doing politics.
Content created and supplied by: CitizenOne (via Opera
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