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Nat’l Cathedral: Duncan-Williams and Eastwood Anaba resign from Board of Trustees

Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Reverend Eastwood Anaba, two respected clergymen in Ghana, have officially resigned from the Board of Trustees overseeing the construction of the National Cathedral.

Their decision to step down is a result of the Ghanaian government’s failure to appoint an independent accounting firm to audit all public funds contributed to the National Cathedral project, according to a statement they issued on Tuesday, October 17.

In their joint statement, Archbishop Duncan-Williams and Rev. Anaba expressed their disappointment at the lack of an audit to restore public confidence and trust in the project. They had advocated for an immediate suspension of the National Cathedral’s construction in January 2023 pending an audit. They cited economic challenges in Ghana as a reason for the project’s suspension, given the difficulty of completing it in the current economic climate.

The National Cathedral project was a campaign pledge made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ahead of the 2016 presidential elections. He had promised to build the cathedral to honor God if he won the elections. However, allegations of financial impropriety and corruption have surrounded the project, and concerns about transparency and accountability have been raised by various parties.

Ghanaian lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has been at the forefront of making corruption allegations related to the National Cathedral project. He revealed that a nonprofit corporation, the “National Cathedral of Ghana and Bible Museum Foundation, Inc.,” was registered in the United States and that this entity was different from the one incorporated in Ghana two years prior. He also noted the absence of prominent ministers of the Gospel, who serve as Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, in the articles of incorporation submitted to US authorities.

The resignations of Archbishop Duncan-Williams and Rev. Anaba add another layer to the ongoing scrutiny of the National Cathedral project, as concerns about transparency and the use of public funds continue to generate public debate.