Ghanaian journalist Kwesi Pratt has raised concerns about President John Dramani Mahama’s suggestion to relocate the National Cathedral project, calling it an insufficient response to the broader controversy surrounding the initiative.
Speaking on Good Morning Ghana, Pratt emphasized that the opposition to the project was not about its location but rather about fundamental issues relating to Ghana’s secular identity.
“The people who opposed the building of the cathedral did not oppose it because it was being built in the Ridge area. So, if you move the project to Kumasi, Lapaz, or even Tamale, it hasn’t changed the argument at all,” Pratt argued, rejecting the notion that relocating the site would resolve the underlying concerns.
Pratt further critiqued Mahama’s suggestion, describing it as inadequate and not addressing the core issues. “The president suggesting that in the future it may not be built on that site really does not address the question,” Pratt said, adding that the conversation should shift to the broader principle at play.
One of Pratt’s key reservations was with President Mahama’s broader comments on the potential involvement of the state in facilitating the cathedral’s construction. He expressed disappointment, pointing out that the argument against the cathedral is not based on its location but on the principles surrounding Ghana’s secular state and the involvement of the government in constructing a religious monument.
“The argument against the cathedral is not about where it is built but the principle of a secular state constructing a religious monument,” Pratt noted, reiterating his discomfort with the president’s position. His comments highlight ongoing concerns regarding the National Cathedral project and the debate over the role of the state in such initiatives.
