The controversies surrounding the National Cathedral has called for an immediate suspension and audit of the project from two of the clergymen on its Board of Trustees.
The eminent men of God – Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Reverend Eastwood Anaba are optimistic the action will provide transparency and accountability to Ghanaians, hence their call.
A January 23, 2023, memo presented to the Board by the two clergymen is seeking independent audit into the expenditures of the project.
The noble men of God want the auditor(s) to be person(s) nationally recognised.
“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 recognised accounting firm to audit all public funds contributed to and spent by the National Cathedral.
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“Auditors will also audit the overall cost of the project. This appointment of an auditor shall take place before the deferment of activities of the Board of Trustees,” excerpts of the memo indicate.
Rev. Anaba and Archbishop Duncan-Williams want the project to resume upon an improvement in the economy.
“That current activities advancing the construction of Ghana’s National Cathedral shall be deferred until the atmospherics in Ghana are improved and the audit of the Cathedral account is done,” the memo contained.
The National Cathedral project has undergone several controversies regarding its funding and accountability since President Akufo-Addo initiated it.
Even though the President said the project was going to be funded by private donations, government has committed almost GH₵400m to the project. Nonetheless, the construction is still at the foundation stage whilst the Board has announced that they are short of money, thereby halting the project.
Many have also raised concerns of expending on a cathedral at a time when Ghana is facing serious economic challenges.
In the midst of the controversies, founder of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, resigned from the Board in August 2022.
The reasons for his exit, even though was not stated, but has come to light some months on.
This followed the earlier resignation of Pastor Mensah Otabil, Founder of the International Central Gospel Church, who was also on the board.
A letter Bishop Heward-Mills issued for his resignation said “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,” parts of the letter further stated.
Source: Onuaonline.com|Ghana
