Duncan-Williams, Eastwood Anaba Resign From Board Of Trustees Of The National Cathedral3 min read

The National Cathedral, a project initiated to serve as a national place of worship and a symbol of unity and pride for Ghanaians, has been a subject of debate and controversy since its inception.

In a statement signed by both Archbishop Duncan-Williams and Reverend Anaba, they explained that the decision to resign was due to the failure of the government to appoint an independent accounting firm to audit all public funds contributed to the National Cathedral.

“Despite our prayers, best hopes and wishes, unfortunately, a needed audit to help restore public confidence and trust in this consequential project has not been enacted to the best of our knowledge. Since January 2023, we awaited news to no avail, regarding the finding of the audit.

“We, therefore, regret that as a matter of conscience and faith, we hereby submit to you our resignation from the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral.”

The two respected clergymen in January 2023 called for an immediate suspension of the construction of the National Cathedral pending an audit of the project.

In a letter to the Board of Trustees, the two eminent clergymen also stated that the current economic climate in Ghana makes it impossible for the timely completion of the project hence the call for its suspension until improvement in the economic fortunes of the country.

“The current economic climate in Ghana presents obstacles to the timely construction and completion of the National Cathedral… We, therefore, resolve: That in the spirit and cause of transparency and accountability to the Ghanaian people, the current Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral shall appoint an independent, nationally recognized accounting firm to audit all public funds contributed to and spent by the National Cathedral,” the two clergymen said in a memo.

Dag Heward-Mills resigns from Board of Trustees

The founder and leader of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills had also resigned from the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral project in August 2022.

The revered Bishop in his resignation letter addressed to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral and copied about 14 people including the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed disappointment at the leadership of the National Cathedral for ignoring concerns he raised in several letters he wrote to them with the recent one being in June 2022 through the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference.

“I feel that the treatment of the issues I have raised in my several letters has been unfortunate. My letters have been ignored in the past; not attended to for years, and at best addressed flippantly.”

“You may recall I have spoken passionately and written extensively about the costs, the design, the location, the fundraising, the mobilization of the churches, and the role of the trustees. These, if heeded, would have made our project more achievable. Generally speaking, my inputs, my opinions, and my letters have been trivialized and set aside.”