Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has described public uproar over the National Cathedral as “petty,” arguing that the project, though controversial, remains a long-term national asset that future governments will revisit and complete.
Blay, who was speaking in a yet-to-air interview, said criticisms against the project were largely driven by political mischief rather than objective national interest.
“To me, this National Cathedral thing is petty. People may not see the need now, but they’ll find a use for it later on,” he asserted.
“I supported it. I thought it was good. I’ve travelled to countries that have national cathedrals and mosques. In the long run, it unites people and even attracts more money than what was spent on it.”
Responding to arguments that Ghana still has schools under trees and hospitals lacking basic beds, Blay drew a biblical analogy.
“Are you a Christian?” he asked. “Remember when expensive oil was used to wash Jesus’ feet? Some questioned it. But Jesus said, ‘The poor will always be with us.’ Sometimes leaders must take decisions others don’t immediately understand.”
Blay believes leadership decisions, such as this one, often face backlash in the short term but are appreciated in hindsight.
He cited infrastructure such as the Jubilee House and the Tema Motorway extension, saying they were initially labelled “wasteful” but later proved useful.
“I don’t believe the cost of that building would exceed what people are claiming. And even if it did, in time, another government will realize it was important and go back to it,” he predicted.
Blay, however, admitted that the cathedral may have played a role in the party’s electoral losses.
“Let’s accept that. It may have been used against the party. But it didn’t dig a major hole in our economy,” he said.
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