The Metropolitan Archbishop of the Anglican Church in charge of the province of West Africa, Rev. Dr. Cyril Ben Smith has backed the President's relentless desire to build the national cathedral.

According to him, God is faithful to see to it that the President’s promise to build a cathedral comes to pass.

He thus encouraged the President to proceed with his promise to God.

“Your Excellency, your building of the national cathedral is a long testimony of your devotion to God and no matter the naysayers it will happen,” he said.

Giving the sermon at the 2nd Presidential New Year Service at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, Rev. Smith encouraged the President not to be deterred by the public uproar because leaders before him encountered similar problems.

“You and other world leaders, King David faced similar challenges that we are still experiencing. The murmuring of the people and lamentation of the crowd, the abuse and lack of understanding of the issues that are clear to all.

“Yet David stood resolute, in his conviction in the midst of opposition," he added.

The Archbishop encouraged Ghanaians to keep faith in the President in both good and bad times.

For his part, President Akufo-Addo while speaking at the New Year service was optimistic that despite the gloomy economic situation of Ghana, the best is yet to come.

Ghana is currently looking to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout, but meeting conditions for such a programme is proving difficult.

But President Akufo-Addo is counting on the collective resolve of Ghanaians to turn the fortunes of the country around.

“Let me reiterate my confidence that with the spirit of fairness, hard work, integrity and reconciliation, the best days of mother Ghana lies ahead of us. Even though we are presently confronted with difficulties in our economic performance, I do not doubt our collective resolve as I said on 6^th January to work our way out of these challenges and put our nation back unto the path of progress and prosperity.”

It would be recalled that on December 13, 2022, the Minority MPs kicked against the allocation of GH₵80 million in the 2023 budget to fund the National Cathedral project.

Subsequently, on December 28, 2022, A member of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee said that the National Cathedral project would continue despite Parliament’s rejection of the GH¢80 million budgetary allocation to it.