Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrew, founder of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), has called on President John Mahama to shift national focus toward addressing pressing social challenges, cautioning against prioritizing monumental projects over essential public services.
Speaking on Atinka FM’s Atinka Morning Drive, Rev. Andrew, also known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, highlighted unemployment among youth and overcrowded hospitals as indicators that government resources should be directed toward healthcare, job creation, and other urgent societal needs.
“When young people cannot find jobs and hospitals are overcrowded, the nation must rethink what truly matters,” he said, stressing that while religious and cultural landmarks are important, leadership must balance such projects against the immediate needs of citizens.
His remarks come in the wake of renewed appeals from the Christian Council of Ghana, which met President Mahama on November 18, 2025, urging the completion of the national cathedral. The Council emphasized that the project, if conducted transparently and inclusively, would serve as a spiritual and cultural landmark.
The Council also recommended a broad-based funding approach involving churches, the private sector, and international partners to reduce fiscal pressure on the government, positioning the cathedral as a unifying national project.
Rev. Andrew, however, maintained that public investment should first ensure citizens’ basic needs are met. “Investing in healthcare and essential services signals a government committed to solving real problems rather than pursuing monumental projects,” he said, urging policymakers to reconsider priorities in light of Ghana’s current socio-economic challenges.
