Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has alleged that the Deputy Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice's (CHRAJ) residence is one of the properties demolished in November 2018 to pave way for the construction of the National Cathedral.

According to him, the rent for the Deputy Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) caused Ghanaians a whopping GHS900,000.

He revealed this in a Twitter post on Monday, August 14, 2023.

“I have only recently discovered that on the instruction of Prez Akufo-Addo, the official residence of a Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ was also demolished to create more space for the construction of Akufo-Addo’s Cathedral.

“Thus far, taxpayers have spent over GH¢900,000.00 on rent for this Deputy Commissioner. (That is GH¢180,000.00 annually). CHRAJ is therefore one of the many institutions waiting to be compensated," he added.

Earlier the MP had indicated that the Scholarship Secretariat, the Passport Office the Judicial Training Institute, the Waterstone Realty Apartment Complex.

The others : the residence of the Malian Ambassador, Offices of ComSys, a communication services provider and an economic research institute Offices of the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) were part of the structures government destroyed for the Cathedral.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has indicated that the government has completely compensated all establishments whose structures were affected in relation of the construction of the National Cathedral.

He disclosed that these organizations were given substitute parcels of public land to facilitate their relocation.

He gave this information while addressing a parliamentary session on Thursday, 27 July.

“Mr Speaker, the land on which the National Cathedral is being constructed, measuring approximately 16.26 acres, forms part of a large tract of land acquired by the state in 1910 by a certificate of title dated 29 September 1910.

“Mr Speaker, apart from the public institution that occupied the area, four private institutions had interest in the land in addition to the Embassy of the Republic of Mali. All these institutions have been provided with alternative public lands. The Embassy of the Republic of Mali and Waterstone Realty Limited have been relocated to Airport,” he said.

“The Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) has been relocated to Roman Ridge. Numo Logistics Limited has been relocated to Cantonment and Comsys Limited has been relocated to East Ridge, thus, Mr. Speaker, all persons, both public and private, who were affected by the construction have been adequately compensated by way of alternative properties,” he added.

Despite the fact that the National Cathedral project has been postponed due to lack of funds, yet, it continues to generate debate.So far, the state has invested GHC339 million in the project, with Parliament rejecting a provision of GHC80 million in the 2023 budget.