Passport office to be demolished for national cathedral project – Ayorkor Botchwey

The head office of the Passport Office in Accra is to be relocated to a new place to make way for the construction of the much talked about National Cathedral, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has said.

Speaking at the meet the press series on Tuesday in Accra to share with Ghanaians happenings at her ministry, the minister explained the decision is part of efforts to equip the Passport Office with modern equipment to reduce the stress people go through in acquiring Ghanaian passports.

“The Head Office of the Passport Office is soon to be relocated to make way for the construction of the national cathedral. A new property has been allocated to the Ministry to be used as the new Passport Head Office,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced the construction of a national cathedral in his inaugural address on January 7, 2017.

The debate on the national cathedral was heightened following the information that the cathedral would be sited at Ridge, a prime location in Accra and would involve the demolition of buildings housing judges.

But the President indicated that the national cathedral project would go on, and while presenting the 2019 budget to Parliament on November 15, 2018, Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta announced that the government would provide the seed money for the project.

The Minority in Parliament raised issues with the government’s decision to partly fund the construction of a national cathedral when many Ghanaians faced difficulties.

It again accused the Finance Minister of mentioning that the government would provide seed money for the construction of the national cathedral when it was not captured in the 2019 budget statement.

But the Majority in Parliament have insisted the government would go ahead with the construction of the cathedral.

It said the government would follow due process in putting up the edifice.

Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, and NPP MP for Tempane said the government would go ahead with its decision to put up the national cathedral.

He stated, “In fact let me state without equivocation that the cathedral will be done by the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. We are going to ensure that due process is followed in executing same for posterity to judge.

I have no doubt come 20 years from now, Ghanaians will look back and all those with elements of skepticism will have a change of mind that it has indeed served its purpose and there is no dispute on that.”

The announcement by the Foreign affairs Minister goes to confirm the government’s resolve to get the project executed notwithstanding opposition from a cross section of the public.