Details of why Dag Heward-Mills resigned from the National Cathedral Board of Trustees

Information regarding the resignation of the founder and leader of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills from the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral project has emerged.

According to citinewsroom.com report, the man of God resigned from the board due to many ignored concerns that were raised for years with regards with the construction of the National Cathedral.

For instance, in his resignation letter he wrote addressed to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, President Akufo-Addo and others, he raised concerns about the cost, design, fundraising, and location of the project among others but did not receive a response after writing several letters. “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.”

With regards to the directors of the board, he said he was surprised he was not registered as Director of the Company of the National Cathedral of Ghana despite the fact that President had “verbally appointed him as such.

Bishop Dag Heward-Mills also said he was shocked some unknown individuals were the real Trustees of the Board despite the fact that he was the director for 6 years without being registered.

“I do not believe this is an oversight but a deliberate exclusion from the Board. Six years is a long time to correct this failure to register me if it was indeed an administrative lapse.”

“l have therefore accepted for some time now that I am not a trustee of the National Cathedral, but I have still sought to help with the Cathedral because I believe in the President’s vision and I do not have to be a legally registered trustee to do so. I refer to myself in this letter as a trustee because even though l am not privy to most of the weighty decisions of the Board I am referred to as such.”

Dag Heward-Mills also raised concerns of lack of clarity on the church. He said several concerns raised about the trustees and the individuals were ignored as many issues regarding the finances of the cathedral were decided on by some persons outside the trustees.

“I have been a reachable and available trustee and attended every single meeting of trustees since the pandemic began, in person and by zoom, and the records will show that. If I say that I, as a trustee, do not know many of the financial and technical issues concerning the Cathedral, it means the discussions about the National Cathedral were held by some people outside the trustees’ meeting or perhaps in a forum that I was not present or invited to.

“On the one hand, the National Cathedral is said to be a Government of Ghana project, with the government taking financial decisions. Yet, on another hand, at meetings, it is implied that the trustees have taken or participated in taking some decisions.”

While resigning, Bishop Dag said: I would like to state clearly that if in the future, there is more clarity to my role and function in the building of the Cathedral, I remain open, available and willing to serve at the pleasure of the President and the nation. Regardless of your response to my resignation and inputs, I remain a supporter of the National Cathedral project and will endeavour to be present to rejoice with the nation when this project is completed.”

Bishop Dag however added that even though he has resigned from the trustees, he is not against the construction of the national cathedral.

“…I do not wish the media or general public to construe my withdrawal as a sign of a lack of support or belief in the building of the National Cathedral.”

One of the top priorities of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's government is the building of a 5,000-seater Cathedral in fulfilment of a pledge made by the President to God before winning the 2016 elections.

According to the President, the construction of the National Cathedral is pivotal to the development of Ghana.

He explained that the country’s comparative performance against neighbouring countries is mainly by the grace of God. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 16 appointed a 13-Member Board of Trustees to spearhead Ghana’s National Cathedral.

At their inauguration at the Jubilee House, the President said the 13-member Board of Trustees will be in charge of the National Cathedral when it is completed. The members are:

1. Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost – Chairperson

2. Archbishop Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop, Cape Coast – Vice Chairman

3. Most Rev. Bishop Justice Ofei Akrofi, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus – Member

4. Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church – Member

5. Most Rev T. K. Awotwi Pratt, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church – Member

6. Rev Prof Cephas Omenyo, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church – Member

7. Pastor Mensa Otabil, General Overseer of International Central Gospel Church – Member

8. Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, Presiding Archbishop and General Overseer of Action Chapel International – Member

9. Rev Dr Joyce Aryee, Executive Director, Salt and Light Ministries – Member

10. Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, Presiding Bishop, Lighthouse Group of Churches – Member

11. Rev Eastwood Anaba, Founder and President of Eastwood Anaba Ministries – Member

12. Rev Victor Kusi-Boateng, Founder of Power Chapel Worldwide – Member/Secretary

13. Rev Dr Frimpong Manso, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God – Member

At the National Cathedral Secretariat, there is an appointed Executive Director known as Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah with two (2) representatives of the United States.

However, in August 2022 Bishop Dag Heward-Mills resigned as a member of the trustee.

NYA/WA