The National Cathedral Secretariat has refuted allegations that the construction of the project is plagued with corruption and criminality.
The Executive Director of the National Cathedral Secretariat, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, has stated there is no evidence of any criminal or corrupt activities linked to the cathedral project.
The construction of the cathedral has been met with severe criticism from the public, with some individuals claiming that the government has not been transparent in disclosing the funds allocated for the facility’s construction.
Dr. Opoku-Mensah, while speaking to the media, stressed that all expenses related to the construction of the cathedral have been fully disclosed to Parliament.
He said, “The idea that a project of this nature would not want to be accountable, I cannot understand it, I cannot fathom it. This audit notwithstanding, I want to state categorically that there’s no criminality. We have implemented the project with integrity, including accounting for all the funds from the state to the National Cathedral Project.”
“We have repeated this, and we will repeat it again; there’s no criminality in the National Cathedral Project. We have accounted for every penny that we have been given by the state and donors. This accounting is submitted to Parliament; sometimes it’s being misused, but we have submitted everything to Parliament.”
Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah stated that, despite a temporary construction delay, the National Cathedral project is still active. Efforts are underway to secure historical artifacts for the cathedral’s museum and gardens.
“There have been issues that the project has been suspended, but it hasn’t. Construction has stalled, but the National Cathedral is almost an institution; it’s going to be one of the largest institutions, so the work continues on a daily basis. In addition to funding, we are already engaging with those who can provide us with artifacts. Because if you want to turn it into a world-class site, you need historical artifacts,” the Executive Director of the National Cathedral Secretariat assured.
Founder and General Overseer of United Denominations of Action Chapel Churches Worldwide, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, as well as the President of Eastwood Anaba Ministries, Rev. Eastwood Anaba, recently resigned from the Board of Trustees responsible for overseeing the construction of Ghana’s National Cathedral on October 12.
In addition, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, the founder and leader of the Lighthouse Chapel International, resigned from the Board of Trustees in August 2022.
The National Cathedral project was initiated to serve as a national place of worship and a symbol of unity and pride for Ghanaians. However, since its inception, the project has been subject to debate and controversy.
