The National Cathedral Secretariat has debunked claims by Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Rev Eastwood Anaba that there is a lack of transparency and information regarding the ongoing National Cathedral project.
The clergymen resigned from the Cathedral Board of Trustees on Tuesday citing lack of information and a failure to conduct an audit into the project’s expenditure.
However, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, Executive Director of the National Cathedral Project, has clarified that the allegations of halting the audit process are false and reaffirmed the project’s commitment to integrity and transparency.
In a statement issued on Wednesday October 18, 2023 in respond to the allegations, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, pointed out that the claims on the audit process are false.
According to him, the Board had rejected a January 23, 2023 resolution by Archbishop Duncan-Williams and Rev Anaba on the grounds of redundancy and undue politicization of the project.
“The allegations of lack of information and halting the audit process are unfounded. We have diligently kept all Board members, including Archbishop Duncan-Williams and Rev Anaba, updated on the audit progress through regular meetings and documented reports. The audit, conducted by Deloitte, is well underway, and we are cooperating fully to ensure its completion,” Dr. Opoku-Mensah stated.
“Their resolution, calling for a complete cessation of work until after the 2024 elections, was deemed unnecessary as the audit was already on the agenda. Moreover, linking the project to political motives was not in the best interest of the National Cathedral and its objectives,” he added.
“We are aware of efforts to politicize and spread misinformation about the National Cathedral. However, we remain steadfast in our commitment to integrity and transparency. The audit findings, which are being carried out by Deloitte, will be shared with the public, demonstrating the project’s genuine intentions.”
Dr. Opoku-Mensah clarified that the engagement letter with Deloitte was signed in March, and the audit process has been progressing as planned.
Meanwhile, the Secretariat also highlighted the politicization attempts surrounding the project and assured the public that the audit findings would be shared with the public, demonstrating the project’s genuine intentions.
Find a copy of the release below: