University Don Mocks Ofori-Atta Over Ghana Can Become The ‘New Jerusalem’ Comment.

Senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof Kobby Mensah, has taken a swipe at the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, over his suggestion that the National Cathedral of Ghana can become the ‘new Jerusalem’.

According to him, the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government promised to turn Ghana into Singapore within the first two years of coming to power but seven years down the line, the motherland is nowhere near the Asian country.

He said that now the finance minister is now saying that there is going to be a new Jerusalem in Ghana.

“Ghana into Singapore in 18 months didn’t work. Now Ghana will become the ‘new Jerusalem’ … eiii!!! Ghana abre,” the academic wrote in a post he shared on X on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

What Ofori-Atta said:

Ken Ofori-Atta stressed the need for a thoughtful reconsideration of the ongoing talks about the construction of the National Cathedral

He emphasized its capacity to act as a catalyst for economic advancement during his address at the 2023 Ghana Tourism Investment Summit citinewsroom.com reports

Ofori-Atta highlighted the cathedral’s potential as a robust piece of infrastructure capable of greatly strengthening the country’s tourism sector.

He envisions it evolving into a pilgrimage site for millions of African Christians, foreseeing the potential for visitors to spend an average of $3,000 each. This could lead to significant economic gains for Ghana.

The finance minister said, “As we look at something like the Cathedral that has economic benefits beyond what we see…In Africa, we have some 600 million people who are Christians so imagine Ghana as the new Jerusalem and these 600 million people floating through with $3,000 to spend, it is a very different reality.”

Amid the persistent debates and controversies circling the cathedral project, Ofori-Atta advocated for a more constructive stance.

He proposed a thoughtful evaluation of the cathedral’s potential to actively contribute to Ghana’s economic progress, urging the government to consider its possible impact carefully.

The finance minister reaffirmed the government’s dedication to revitalizing the tourism and arts sector, acknowledging its significant economic potential in fuelling growth and creating job opportunities.

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