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The resignation of Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Rev. Eastwood Anaba from the Board of Trustees overseeing the construction of the National Cathedral in Ghana, according to Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), does not surprise him.
Both Reverend Anaba and Archbishop Duncan-Williams said in a statement that the government’s refusal to engage an impartial accounting firm to evaluate all public funds contributed to the National Cathedral was the reason for their decision to quit.
“Their resignation from the Board of Trustees is not surprising, we knew it would happen and it was just a matter of time. Well, I congratulate them, it is better late than not at all. Their resignation is not too late, but I would have wished that they would not have accepted the appointment from the beginning. But sometimes, when somebody is deceiving you, it is not everyone who’s able to see through the deception.”
In an interview with Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV on Wednesday, Mr. Asiedu Nketia commented on the resignation of the two. He said it was only a matter of time before the respected clergymen left the Board of Trustees given the problems found during the cathedral’s construction.
Since it was first suggested as a place of national worship and a symbol of Ghanaians’ pride and unity, the National Cathedral has been the subject of debate and discussion.
In January 2023, the two eminent clerics demanded that work on the National Cathedral be stopped right now while the project was audited.
The pair also called for the project’s postponement until Ghana’s economic situation improves in a letter to the Board of Trustees, noting that the country’s current economic situation renders timely completion of the project unlikely.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has made several attempts to politicize and stoke discontent for the National Cathedral project, and the National Cathedral Scretariat claims it is well aware of these attempts.
The secretariat said that this had influenced their earlier choice to reject a motion by Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Reverend Eastwood Anaba calling for a complete halt to construction on the National Cathedral project.
The secretariat noted in a statement following the resignation of the two clergy that if they had accepted the motion, it would have further polarized the project.
The secretariat stated that it is well aware of how the National Cathedral project has been politicized and how it might be used as a weapon to stoke conflict inside the board.
It was said that the secretariat’s relentless efforts to keep the project moving forward, despite requests for them to cease, was due to this reason.
However, the secretariat emphasized that the National Cathedral is being constructed honorably and that the board is dedicated to responsibility.
“We are working closely with the auditors to ensure that they complete the work, which will be shared with the general public,” it added.
The secretariat has debunked the assertions made by Reverend Eastwood Anaba and Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams that they were not given any information regarding the National Cathedral’s auditing procedure.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
