Selection of contractors for National Cathedral was through rigorous international procurement process – Secretariat
The National Cathedral Secretariat has released a statement to provide clarity to issues on the project that has been widely discussed in the country.
In a release signed by Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah who is chairman of the Board of Trustees, the contractors of the project ‘RIBADE’ were selected after going through rigorous international procurement process.
“The selection of the contractors – RIBADE – for the project, was through a rigorous international procurement process supervised by the Lead consultant, whose contract included the selection of a contractor for approval by the Board of Trustees,” part of the release dated Wednesday, January 18 said.
In the release, the National Cathedral Secretariat also explains that the project is a partnership between the State and Church, and the roles of the state have been clearly specified in the partnership: appointment of the Architect, the Land, the Secretariat, and Seed Money for the preparatory phase of the work.
It adds that the Architect and the Land—the site for the National Cathedral – had already been selected by the President before the appointment of the Trustees by the President.
Meanwhile, the National Cathedral Secretariat has disclosed that the cost for the project and the selection of the contractors were led by the Project’s Lead Consultants, as well as a technical committee officially commissioned by the Board of Trustees including seasoned Ghanaian professionals in the building and construction industry.
The Secretariat also notes that the integration of the Bible Museum and Biblical Gardens into the National Cathedral project, and the selection of the US consultant – Cary Summers – for the two projects, was approved by the Board of Trustees on December 10, 2019.
Find more in the release below:
INTRODUCTION
1) The attention of the Trustees and Secretariat of the National Cathedral project has been drawn to a publication in the media of the letter of resignation by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills from the Trusteeship. The Board would not want to engage in a public contest that would be detrimental to the unity of the Church that the National Cathedral seeks to promote.
2) A number of the issues raised in the letter have already been clarified during a visit to the office of Bishop Dag Heward-Mills by a delegation led by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Apostle Opoku Onyinah, on August 23rd, 2022; as well as a letter dated October 15, 2022 acknowledging the letter of resignation. The Board was also duly informed of these clarifications at its October 10, 2022 meeting.
II. CLARIFCATION OF ISSUES
3) However, for the sake of public education, some of the issues clarified are as follows:
• The National Cathedral is a partnership between the State and Church, and the roles of the state have been clearly specified in the partnership: appointment of the Architect, the Land, the Secretariat and Seed Money for the preparatory phase of the work.
• The Architect and the Land—the site for the National Cathedral – had already been selected by the President before the appointment of the Trustees by the President. All Trustees were aware of this.
• The selection of the contractors – RIBADE – for the project, was through a rigorous international procurement process supervised by the Lead consultant, whose contract included the selection of a contractor for approval by the Board of Trustees.
• The costing for the project, and the selection of the contractors for the project were led by the Project’s Lead Consultants, as well as a technical committee officially commissioned by the Board of Trustees, and including seasoned Ghanaian professionals in the building and construction industry. This technical group included: Senior Architect and Project Manager Mr Tony Yeboah Asare; Mr Kwame Prempeh, Deputy CEO, PPA; Senior Architect Mrs Becky Yakpo; Senior Quantity Surveyor, Dr Joseph Buertey, seconded to the project by Church of Pentecost; Mr George Lomotey, Chief Procurement and Supply Chain Manager at Office of the President; Mr Cary Summers, Founding President, Museum of the Bible, USA. This Technical Committee reviewed all the proposals by the Lead Consultant, before recommending these for approval to the Board.
· The integration of the Bible Museum and Biblical Gardens into the National Cathedral project, and the selection of the US consultant – Cary Summers – for the two projects, was approved by the Board of Trustees on December 10, 2019.
• The extensive preparatory work done, including work on the construction site, are all documented and available.
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III. CONCLUSION
4) One of the key strengths of the National Cathedral Project is the Board of Trustees, made up of some of the key, pioneering leaders of the church in Ghana, and whose work on the project is contributing to improved inter-church relations in the country. These church leaders, the Board of Trustees, have pioneered and/or lead vibrant churches with global reach and impact.
5) These churches and their leaders not only have deep-seated theological differences, but also different understandings and approaches to the development of the National Cathedral. The challenge of such a group is that individual leaders, with a history of implementing their own organizational /denominational programs and vision, have to be part of a collective decision-making process where their preferences might not always prevail. Specifically, this means that no one leader can have all their preferences, methods, and approaches accepted. In this changed and unfamiliar context, some would prefer to leave the Trusteeship.
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6) This notwithstanding, we are grateful that all the Trustees — including Bishop Dag Heward-Mills who voluntarily left the Trusteeship — still remain committed to the vision of the National Cathedral and want to see it completed to God’s glory.
source:modernghana
