In a development leading up to the scheduled commissioning of the National Cathedral on March 6, 2024, Members of Parliament (MPs) and officials of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) found themselves in a confrontation with Ghana Armed Forces personnel.
The project, a $100-million inter-denominational cathedral, was announced to be completed by the then-Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, during the 2021 mid-year budget review in Parliament on Thursday, July 29, 2021. However, tensions escalated as MPs and NDC officials encountered heavy security around the National Cathedral site, resulting in a clash with the armed forces in front of the new Electoral Commission head office.
Both the Ghana Police Service and the Military were deployed to mount barricades, restricting access to the entrance of the National Cathedral site. The clash unfolded amidst heightened security measures surrounding the upcoming commissioning of the long-anticipated project.
In a satirical response to the perceived delay in the completion of the National Cathedral, the MP for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, symbolically commissioned the uncompleted project during the standoff. This act was intended to underscore the government's alleged failure to finish the project within the stipulated timeframe.
The background of the confrontation traces back to 2021 when Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced the government's plan to commission the National Cathedral on March 6, 2024. During the mid-year budget review, Minister Ofori-Atta expressed optimism about the swift progress of the project, emphasizing its significance as a sacred space for formal religious activities of the State and a symbol of the substantial contribution of faith to nation-building. However, the recent clash highlights challenges and tensions surrounding the completion of the National Cathedral project leading up to its scheduled commissioning.
