By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Sept. 2, GNA – Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has called for a united Christian front to help revive discussions on the construction of a National Cathedral in Ghana.
He said Christians in Ghana and abroad had the capacity to mobilise the resources required to complete the project if the various Christian denominations and organisations could reach a common position on its future.
The Minister, who was speaking during a courtesy call by the Christian Council of Ghana, reaffirmed his personal support for the idea of a National Cathedral, although he acknowledged concerns surrounding the project’s location and financing.
He disclosed that he had opposed the original location, particularly because it involved the demolition of residences occupied by senior judges, and that his concerns about the location did not amount to opposition to the broader idea of establishing a National Cathedral.
Mr Ayariga said he intended to engage the leadership of the Christian Council and other ecumenical and religious organisations on the way forward, including discussions on the project’s cost, location and financing arrangements.
He pointed to the National Mosque as an example of what could be achieved when a religious community rallies around a major national project and mobilises support locally and internationally.
“A similar level of unity among Christian organisations can provide the foundation for raising the resources needed to advance the National Cathedral project,” he stressed.
The Minister identified environmental sanitation as a major priority for his tenure, calling for closer collaboration between government and the church to address the country’s sanitation challenges.
He said the church’s extensive presence across communities and its moral influence could be instrumental in mobilising citizens to adopt responsible sanitation practices.
Mr Ayariga stressed that maintaining clean communities did not necessarily require sophisticated solutions, but demanded discipline, effective waste management systems, and individual responsibility.
He called for stronger regulation of private-sector participation in waste management, stating that the government would continue to engage religious organisations for ideas and support in improving sanitation.
The Minister expressed confidence that Ghana could transform its sanitation situation through sustained commitment, effective systems and collective responsibility, reducing the need for citizens to travel abroad to experience cleaner and better-managed cities.
Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose, the General Secretary, Christian Council of Ghana, expressed readiness to partner with the Ministry to improve sanitation and environmental cleanliness in the country.
He said the Council had already drafted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry for an environmental care and cleanliness programme, although it was yet to be signed.
Rev. Dr. Fayose said the church had made significant contributions to Ghana’s development in education, healthcare, peacebuilding, advocacy and governance, and could similarly support efforts to address the country’s sanitation challenges.
He said the Council would build on its previous collaboration with the Ministry on National Sanitation Day to mobilise churches and communities to keep their environments clean.
Meanwhile, the Council welcomed Mr Ayariga’s support for the construction of the National Cathedral, with Rev. Dr. Fayose stating that Christians in Ghana were prepared to help finance the project.
He said what was needed was the “blessing of the state” to give investors and supporters the confidence to contribute, adding that removing political considerations surrounding the project could make its completion possible.
“The Council, established in 1929, had begun preparations towards its centenary celebration and would require the support and encouragement of the Ministry,” he added.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba