President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged GH¢100,000 from his personal resources towards the construction of the proposed National Cathedral.
He made the pledge Friday night at the launch of fundraising for the cathedral at the forecourt of the State House in Accra.
Hollywood star Idris Elba and international model Naomi Campbell also attended the fundraising dinner.
President Akufo-Addo was the Special Guest of Honour for the fundraising dinner.
There were a number of positive pledges for the project.
Particularly two people pledged GH¢1million each towards the project whilst another pledged US$50,000.
There were some GH¢100,000 pledges same as what President Akufo-Addo pledged.
Among the dignitaries who attended the fundraising dinner were the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife Samira, the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Aaron Mike Ocquaye, the Chief Justice, Ms Sophia Akuffo and former President Jerry John Rawlings.
President Akufo-Addo whilst campaigning to be elected as President made a vow to God to build a National Cathedral when elected President and according to Archbishop Duncan Williams of the Action Faith International, who is among the leading figures behind the project, building the cathedral was therefore a fulfilment of President Akufo-Addo’s vow to God.
Delivering his remarks at the fundraiser dinner, President Akufo-Addo noted that, like Solomon, at the dedication of the first temple, he knows that God cannot be contained in a physical edifice.
“Rather, and again like Solomon on that occasion, the building of the National Cathedral is to serve as a gesture of thanksgiving to God for his blessings, favour, grace and mercies on our nation, and to give me an opportunity to redeem a pledge I made to Him before I became President,” he said.
The National Cathedral, the President explained, is more than just another piece of infrastructure or national monument.
“It will provide us with an avenue to call the nation to prayer, to worship, to celebrate, and to mourn. It will house a Bible Museum, and will be an iconic infrastructure for national, regional and international pilgrimage and tourism. It will create jobs, and serve as a catalyst for technology and skills transfer into our country,” President Akufo-Addo stressed.
He continued, “The Cathedral will also provide a platform to promote deep national conversations on the role of faith in building the progressive and prosperous Ghana we all want. I am convinced that out of these conversations would emerge the ideas and values that should help us build a new Ghanaian civilization. This is the basis on which I identify it as a personal priority.”
Reiterating his earnest wish that the building of the National Cathedral should not be a burden on the State, President Akufo-Addo noted that it was for this reason that the Christian community, home and abroad, is being mobilized in partnership to raise the needed resources to build the Cathedral.
Whilst respecting the views of those who differ with him on the matter of the construction of the Cathedral, the President indicated that “I am comforted in my decision by the vast numbers of enthusiastic supporters of this project, whose spiritual dimension is limitless.”
The President was confident that “like the statement of the Prophet Nehemia in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, it is Almighty God who will prosper us and make us succeed in this endeavour. I am confident of the support of the Ghanaian people for this coalition of churches, corporations and individuals in bringing this project into fruition.”
This coalition, he added, will be a historic coalition, and the names of its supporters will be written in gold in the annals of our history.
“I am proud to call myself a leading member of this coalition, and I pledge GH¢100,000 as my personal contribution,” President Akufo-Addo said.
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