Akufo-Addo seeks the support of the diasporans for the national cathedral

General News of Monday, February 11, 2019

Source: thefinderonline.com

2019-02-11

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo rallied support from Ghanaians and the Christian diaspora community to support the construction of the National Cathedral.

Speaking as a special guest at the first fundraising ceremony for Washington DC Cathedral, President Akufo-Addo emphasized the importance of the multi-faith ceremonial historic building. as a unifying monument of Ghana's Christian community.

The president is convinced that once completed, the cathedral will serve not only as a rallying point for the Christian community, dedicated to worship, prayer and the promotion of an in-depth national dialogue on the role of the faith in the construction of Ghana, but also as national, regional and international icons. infrastructures adapted to pilgrimage and tourism.

Once completed, the National Cathedral will house a series of imposing chapels, a baptistery, a 2,000-seat auditorium, a large central hall, a music school, a rehearsal space for choir, an art gallery. art, a shop and multipurpose spaces.

"That's why we're trying to mobilize the Christian community, at home and abroad, to join together to bring together the resources needed to build the cathedral."

The President expressed his gratitude to the Assembly, the Board of Directors, and the Fundraising Committee for expressing such enthusiasm for the project.

"You have demonstrated your determination and your willingness to join the historic coalition that will build the National Cathedral of Ghana to the glory and honor of Almighty God."

Responding to concerns expressed by part of the Ghanaian population about the importance of the cathedral, the president explained that since the country had gained its freedom and independence from British colonial rule, Ghana had been spared by civil war, famine and epidemic, it was necessary to build a monument by way of thanksgiving to God.

"We are certainly no better than other countries in our neighborhood that have been facing these challenges, and I believe it is by God's grace that we have been preserved and supported. The construction of the cathedral will be an act of thanks to the Almighty for his blessings, his favors, his grace, [and] thank you to our nation. "

Secondly, he explained that 71% of the Ghanaian population adhered to the Christian religion under the various beliefs of the Christian faith. The national multi-confessional cathedral would thus contribute to unifying the Christian community and thus promoting national unity and social cohesion.

In addition, he said, the construction of the cathedral was a commitment he had made to the almighty God: "S / he was kind enough to grant my party, the New Party patriotic, and me the victory in the 2016 general election after two unsuccessful attempts, will help build a cathedral to his glory and honor. I am determined to buy back this commitment, "he added.

He hoped that Ghanaians in the diaspora and all well-meaning friends in Ghana would support the project.

The president affirms his faith in God

Earlier, the President also delivered the keynote address at the breakfast luncheon hosted by the National Prayer Breakfast, during which he reaffirmed his faith in God and the importance of waiting for him. agreed time.

Nana Addo reported on her three presidency attempts to the presidency. His career in the highest office of the country bears witness to the favor, goodness and faith in the time fixed by God.

"As a Christian, the path of my own life has been a testimony of the love of God and a justification of the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 19, v. 26, which says: "with man it is impossible, but with God everything is possible". Some of you may know that I have applied for the highest position in the country three times and that I have completed the third. Between 2008 and 2016, if any of you had had the opportunity to travel to Ghana, you would certainly have heard catchy phrases like "Akufo-Addo can not be president," "God does not want Akufo-Addo to be president", "Akufo -Addo is short and does not have the stature of being president". Perhaps, if you lost your first election by some 40,000 votes in a poll of about 10 million voters, as I did in 2008, and you lose your second election after a controversial decision of the Supreme Court four years later, as you would be tempted to believe that these comments had some merit. However, my faith in God would not let me give up. On my third attempt, I entrusted the election campaign to God and told the people of Ghana that "the battle is at the charge of the Lord". By the grace of God, I won a famous victory against a sitting president in the 2016 elections with a gap of about one million votes, the largest margin of victory in the last two decades. "

He emphasized that it is his conviction of God's power to turn difficult situations into beacons of hope that drove his vision to move Ghana to a situation beyond aid and to place the country. on the path of sustainable progress and prosperity. Our march towards a better future is based on a firm commitment to a system of governance that respects human rights and individual freedoms, the rule of law and the principles of democratic accountability.

He reiterated his vision of making efficient use of the country's human and natural resources to turn the Ghanaian economy into a prosperous country.

"Despite the current circumstances, I believe that our fate is not to be a poor country. God blessed our Ghana. We have some of the most dramatic and natural scenes on the planet. We have almost all the minerals that humanity desires and are needed to manage a modern economy. We have an abundance of arable land and a young, enterprising and hardworking population. The book of Proverbs, chapter 10, verse 22, tells us that "the blessing of the Lord enriches, and adds no pain to it". The negative characterizations of Ghana, and even of most African countries, largely described by stories of disease, famine, hunger and poverty, can not be our part. God's blessings on our land mean that we can, we should and must, rid ourselves of this cloak of poverty and chart a path for ourselves that will bring the mbades of our people into prosperity and improve their quality of life. "

He explained at the meeting how his government has, over the past two years, begun to implement policies and programs to realize the vision that would propel the Ghanaian economy on the road to prosperity and make it a reality. less dependent on help and aids.

"Since my government took office two years ago, with God's support, we have restored discipline in the management of the economy and become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. . We guarantee access to education for all school children up to a minimum of high school and have increased access to health care for all. We are becoming more and more self-sufficient in the production of food products and, unlike the difficulties of the last few years, we are now exporting food products to neighboring countries of West Africa. "Today, Ghana has become the largest recipient of foreign direct investment in West Africa, and some of the world's largest car manufacturing companies have decided to set up badembly and manufacturing plants in Ghana. I hope that in the years to come, and to paraphrase the words of Hanani the Seer, in chapter 16 of the 2nd Chronicles, God will continue to be strong in the name of a country whose heart is fully devoted to him. ", did he declare.

As part of his visit, the President held a private meeting with Senator Inhofe, Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, as well as a dinner hosted by Archbishop Duncan-Williams and Mrs. Rosa Whitaker.