Opinions of Thursday, 19 January 2023

Columnist: Timothy Ataaya

The involvement of Professor Opoku Onyinah in National Cathedral project, a ridicule to the Church of Pentecost

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah

Papa Chairman, I bring you warm greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and trust you are doing well by the grace of God. Let me also seize the opportunity to wish you a happy and prosperous new year.

Papa Chairman, I write to express my views and perhaps that of many voiceless members of the church about the involvement of our immediate past Chairman (Prophet Opoku Onyinah) in the controversial National Cathedral Project.

Papa Chairman, it has become conspicuous that the said project which came about as fulfillment of a personal pledge is one of the most criticized projects in Ghana with a lot of shady under dealings, unconstitutional and illegal use of public resources, and all kinds of controversies surrounding this project.

Papa Chairman, I am not against the building of a Cathedral but considering how this particular project was conceived and how it is being executed coupled with the time at which it is being executed, there are a lot of question marks on this project.

Papa Chair, the president first told Ghanaians that the project was not going to cost the taxpayer even a cedi but what do we see today? a lot of public and private buildings have been pulled down at the expense of the taxpayer, state resources are being illegally and dubiously channelled into this project at these excruciating hard times, and people are paid with the taxpayers' money for no work done on this project, etc.

Papa Chair, there are numerous places in Ghana where we can converge to seek the face of God so why still insist on carrying out this project even at a time the economy is critically seeking life support from the IMF?

At a time when Ghanaian child is still studying under trees, lying on their stomach to learn in school with no textbooks, chalk not to even talking about computers? When our SHSs across the country have no food to feed our kids, our health insurance is almost collapsed, no beds in our hospitals, etc. Are we serious as a country?

I remember our church recently handed over a prison facility to the state, even though it is part of our social responsibility, this was the responsibility of the government. Then, Chairman, Prophet Opoku Onyinah did not envisage the need for National Cathedral.

Papa Chair, the open secret is that many Ghanaians including Pentecostals are not happy with this project and so are they not happy with any person involved in this project not excluding our very own Dad(Prophet Opoku Onyinah).

Papa Chairman, I know it might be a difficult thing to do but there continues to stay at the post as a member of the board of directors and for that matter chairman of the board of this project by our Dad lives so many people with questions about the church.

Once again, a very happy and prosperous new year to you. Forever a Pentecostal