Government sued again over National Cathedral

Government’s decision to get involved with plans to build a National Cathedral has hit a snag as a suit has been filed at the Supreme Court against it.

James Kwabena Bomfeh, a former Youth Organiser of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), aka Kabila who was earlier in court on the same issue wants an interlocutory injunction to restrain the construction of the controversial 5,000-seater Cathedral.

Kabila wants the Supreme Court to restrain government or any of its representatives “from being involved in or taking any steps towards the construction of the Ghana National Cathedral, including the demolition of residences of justices of the Superior Courts.”

Further, he wants government prevented from commencing “any civil works for the construction of the Ghana National Cathedral; and/or taking any action, measure or step preliminary or incidental to the construction of the Ghana National Cathedral.”

President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the scheduled construction of the National Cathedral to mark Ghana’s 60th-anniversary celebrations.

Funding for the project is to be sourced from individuals within the Christian community.

Government’s decision to demolish buildings including residences of judges to make way for the construction of a national cathedral has been criticised as inappropriate.

Private legal practitioner Samson Lardy Anyenini has questioned the rationale behind pulling down all buildings [sited] from the Ridge Circle to the Scholarship Secretariat, the Judicial Training Institute at East Ridge, the passport office and other structures and about ten six-bedroom bungalows built by the Judicial Service to house Court of Appeal Judges.

These buildings are located in prime areas in Accra and in the case of the judges were built only five years ago.

James Kwabena Bomfeh, a former Youth Organiser of the Convention People’s Party

Government has indicated it will resettle the affected judges who have been served notice to leave their homes.

But even before the construction started, Kabila last year filed a suit at the Supreme Court challenging government’s decision to build the cathedral.

In the writ, Mr Bomfeh, stated that he want “a declaration that the decision of the Government of Ghana to purposely endorse, assist, aid, partly sponsor, and/or support the construction of a National Cathedral near the State House of Ghana, for Christian interdenominational church services amounts to an excessive entanglement of the Republic of Ghana and religion and therefore unconstitutional”.

However, the plaintiff, James Kwabena Bomfeh said government has no business or whatsoever to interfere in religious activities in such a manner.

Again, he wanted the Apex Court of Ghana to declare the Hajj Board constituted by government illegal.

He, therefore, sought “a declaration that the setting up of a Hajj Board by the Government of the Republic of Ghana for the purpose of coordinating, supporting and/or aiding Ghanaian Muslims to embark on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca…” is unconstitutional.

Source: Myjoyonline.com