Two prominent clergymen have resigned as members of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, months after their call for an financial audit of the project went unheeded.
The two are: presiding Archbishop and General Overseer of the Action Chapel International (ACI) Ministry, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and President of the Eastwood Anaba Ministries, Eastwood Anaba.
In a joint statement to the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the duo cited their growing concerns about transparency and accountability within the project.
They also clarified in the October 12, 2023 statement that their decision should not be interpreted as a challenge to the vision or intent of the National Cathedral.
Instead, they view it as a means to advance the project on a foundation of integrity, efficiency, and quality, while also preserving and enhancing public trust and support.
Their statement, however, commended the president for conceptualizing the project whiles pledging that they still supported the project and hoped to see its successful completion.
"Your Excellency, please accept the assurances of our prayers and best wishes to you and the Board of Trustees of Ghana’s National Cathedral for strength and success. We thank you for the opportunity to serve our nation," their statement concluded.
Read the full statement below:
FROM THE DESK OF HIS EMINENCE
ARCHBISHOP NICHOLAS DUNCAN - WILLIAMS
12 October 2023
His Excellency Nana Addo Danka Akufo-Addo
Golden Jubilee House
Accra, Ghana
Your Excellency.
We extend our profound salutations to you in the Name of Jesus Chiist! As much as we have met many times over the past two years on issues of national significance, you may recall our requests for an appointment with you to specifically discuss the National Cathedral of Ghana—a vision of yours that we share and cherish. We truly understand that the demands of the nation and indeed the world that have been placed upon your shoulders may have prevented the realisation of this meeting.
Further to the National Cathedral, in January 2023 as Trustees of the Board of
Trustees we submitted a draft Resolution to the said Board resolving that current activities advancing the construction of Ghana's National Cathedral, be deferred until the findings of an audit. This deferment included a cessation of activities of the Board of Trustees. Specifically, our Resolution staled, “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 accounting firm to audit all public funds contributed to The National Cathedral. This appointment of an auditor shall take place before the deferment of the actives of the Board of Trustees.
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. We honourably assure you as we assured the Board of Trustees in January 2023 with the submission of our Resolution, that our action in no way impugns the vision or intent of The National Cathodral, but rather ensures that it's advanced and built on a foundation of integrity, efficiency and quality while garnering and maintaining public trust and support. We truly owe this to God and to country.
We remain confident that one day your vision of a National Cathedral of Ghana that provides a “sacred space and infrastructure” for formal religious and other activities in the nation, such as state funerals, presidential inaugural services, and global gatherings that advance faith, peace, reconciliation, stability and a better world, while supporting tourism as a promising pillar of Ghana's economy, will be realised in our lifetime. We believe that you will aways stand as the visionary and the architect of this vision and trust that “a dream deferred is not a dream denied.”
Your Excellency, please accept the assurances of our prayers and best wishes to you and the Board of Trustees of Ghana’s National Cathedral for strength and success. We thank you for the opportunity to serve our nation.
SARA
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Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Rev. Eastwood Anaba