According to her, the Board has been nothing short of transparent about its spending with regards to the project.

She made these remarks on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen.

This is amidst allegations of criminalities and multiple identities against the Executive Secretary, Rev Victor Kusi Boateng by North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

Prophet Boateng, according to Mr Ablakwa, using the identity of Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, received GH¢2.6 million from the national cathedral board through JNS Centre Limited which he was a director.

Reacting to the development, Rev Dr Joyce Aryee reiterated the amount was a loan repayment with no interest.

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“The GHC2.6m refund to JNS is nothing shady. We asked for funds and the company supported us. So there is no scandal anyway as purported. We have been very transparent,” she said.

Going forward, she said the Board in the coming days will publish a list of donors for 2022.

A member of the Board, Rev Dr Joyce Aryee, revealed this on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Friday.

She, however, noted the donation has been slow considering the expectations that a lot more people will contribute towards the noble course.

Rev Dr Joyce Aryee said she believes the project would have far advanced but for limited funds at their disposal.

“The aim of the Club was to mobilise one million Ghanaians who will give 100 Cedis a month towards the construction of the National Cathedral. So If at least we had about one million Ghanaians contributing GHS100 each month, we would have gone far,” she said.

She, however, expressed appreciation to Ghanaians who have contributed so far and urged a lot more citizens to contribute their widow’s mite.

The ‘100-cedis-a-month club’ was launched on August 12, 2021, to enable Ghanaians contribute to the construction of the National Cathedral.

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who announced the initiative, dubbed, ‘Ketewa biara nsua’, said it was to provide members of the general public an opportunity to share the cost and be part of a historical event, i.e, the construction of a national cathedral.

Meanwhile, Ghanaians, who wish to support the noble cause, can do so by dialling the short code *979* and follow the necessary steps.

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The expectation is that the ongoing National Cathedral project will be opened to the general public on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

The commissioning on the said date is when Ghana marks its 67th Independence Day.

She likened the ongoing tumult with regards to the National Cathedral to an instance in the Bible.

“The commotion will still continue. When we read the Bible, it states that when God asked the Israelites who were enslaved in Persia to return and build Him a temple, there was chaos.

 “It’s not surprising because sometimes when doing something for God, we must realize that God Himself says there’s light and darkness. The darkness knows it’ll be defeated by the light so whatever means it’ll use to prevent the light from coming it will do.

“We must understand that when a nation is light, a nation can be darkness. But the truth is when the light shines a bit it takes out the darkness,” she said on Adom TV’s Badwam.

She indicated that the trustees were chosen to solicit funds and supervise the building and completion of the cathedral.

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She added that the government is not funding the entire project.

“That’s why government will do what it promised and leave the rest for us. As trustees, we’ve been given that power. Supervise and make sure it’s built. Government did not say they’ll fund us. They only promised to do their part so we continue,” she noted.

According to her, the budget for the National Cathedral has increased due to the inclusion of other facilities.

“The reason for an increase in the National Cathedral budget is that the museum was not part. But building just a church without a museum, restaurant, or small chapels will make it a place that may be visited not very often.”

According to her, music is an essential factor in the lives of people because most people are influenced by music.

“Ghana can reveal its Christlike living when we have music that speaks to that inner core of our faith and that’s what I am doing with Harmonious Chorale,” she said.

“One of the ways in which people get most affected is through music,” she added.

Speaking at the 15th-anniversary concert by Harmonious Chorale Ghana last Sunday, Reverend Joyce indicated that most people easily adapt to music as compared to the word of God.

“When you go to church, you will know that a lot of people will go home humming the songs and the hymns more than remembering the sermon because good Christian music is also a sermon by itself,” Dr Aryee noted.

She further advised the public to practice and live a religious life and not just talk about it.

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“We shouldn’t just talk about being religious, we should live like that,” she said.

“Many of us are living lives of hopelessness and think we cannot do anything because we are not the leaders, and I believe that with the right kind of music touching our hearts, we will feel strengthened that no one is useless,” she added.