By. Robert Ayanful
The Agona Asafo branch minister of the Resurrection Baptist Church of the Ghana Baptist Convention, Rev. Abraham Sanniez and the founder and General Overseer of the Hour of Grace Prayer Min. in Accra, Rev. Nhyiraba Bright have added their voice to the call on Ghanaians to keep to rest the argument about the proposed construction of a national Cathedral by the president, saying that it will serve as a symbol of peace for the nation.
The proposed Cathedral is to serve as a congregation point where the country’s religious leaders will congregate to seek the intervention of God in times of trouble.
But since the proposed edifice roared its head some weeks ago, sections of the public have questioned its source of funding and location leading to criticism, with some questioning its relevance.
Reacting to the criticism in separate interviews with Newsghana.com, both Rev. Sanniez and Rev. Nhyiraba Bright appealed to Ghanaians not to entertain any doubt about the construction of the Cathedral, as according to them, it will help the country bring its supplication before God for redemption, rather than seeking solace in lesser gods made by the hands of man.
Citing Israel as an example, Rev. Sanniez said anytime the people realized that they were at fault before God and went to the Temple to pray, God heard their cry and forgave them their trespasses, noting that the construction of a national Cathedral would swerve the same purpose, if it is done with one accord as a nation.
On his part, Rev. Nhyirasba Bright has has been trumpeting for support for the construction of the Cathedral anytime he visits any of the branches of his church in Akwatia and New Abirem in the Eastern Region, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region and Agona Abodom in the Central Region.
Meanwhile, the founder of Divine Gift Worship Min. also in Agona Swedru, Apostle Philip Mccalister Appiah has described the project as a misplaced priority by the government, contending that the nation is already confronted with a ‘’chronic economic situation’’ which needs to be addressed with urgency, rather than the construction of a Cathedral, which he said only a few individual pastors and people in high places of authority would gain access to.
He mentioned the Free SHS policy, bad road networks, high rate of unemployment, unavailability of health facilities across the country among others as some of the challenges that the money for the construction of the Cathedral could be channeled into.
‘’I will suggest we set aside a special day in every month as is done with the national sanitation day where we will pray in our individual churches and mosques for God’s intervention, rather than spending money to construct and edifice which only a few selected people will gain access to’’ he stressed.