A member of the New Patriotic Party, Kojo Razak Opoku, says it is important for a country like Ghana that is religious to have a national cathedral to serve her status as a religious centre and also serve as a major tourist site.

“First and foremost, it is important to point out that the government’s initiative for Ghanaians to contribute financially to the building of the national cathedral is purely voluntary.

“Donation is voluntary, not mandatory so one may further ask why all arguments against the raising of funds in support of the construction of such a national asset? Is it because the facility will predominantly be used by Christians? I don’t think so.”

In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, he said the Turkish government used state funds in collaboration with the funds from the Muslim community in Ghana to construct a national mosque for Ghana.

“It is sad when you read commentary from people who claim to be Christians attacking and kicking against any move by government to construct a national cathedral.

"If Ghanaian Muslims with support from Turkey government could come together to build a National Mosque for the Country, what stops Christians to donate towards the construction of the National Cathedral?

“Are we really promoting a religion that exalts God in this country? If so, what is wrong if Christians are taking steps to build a national cathedral after Muslims had built a 15000-capacity national mosque? What stops the Christian majority to donate to the national cathedral?

He said it was unfair to compare the construction of a cathedral to schools under trees, lack of hospitals among others as the basis of kicking against donations towards the national cathedral.

The statement said the same people complaining about schools under trees, hospital beds were always seen using their money for wigs, make-up, alcohol, sex, bleaching and find it difficult to contribute their taxes for national development, or even support Schools and hospitals which are struggling to survive.

It said it was not out of place even if government decided to use State funds for the construction of the national cathedral.

“Turkish government spent huge sums of money to build our national mosque. Note this is not even in their Country. Do you think government of Turkey has no problem to solve for its people?

It said both the national cathedral and national mosque would contribute significantly to the religious tourism in the Country and support the economy in diverse ways and called on all to support it to be completed.

“Forget about the noisemakers who think that they know spiritual things more than God who created them,” he said.