Fact-Check: Pastor Mensa Otabil resigns from National Cathedral Board of Trustees

Coverghana.com.gh facts-checks have confirmed that, the General Overseer of International Central Gospel Church, Pastor Mensa Otabil has resigned from the National Cathedral Board of Trustees.

The Renowned Man of God, Pastor Mensa Otabil was among the 13-Member Board of Trustees appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to spearhead Ghana’s National Cathedral Project.

Earlier, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that, Pastor Mensa Otabil who was among the inaugurated Board of Trustees at a ceremony held at the Presidency (Jubilee House) on 16th March 2017 has resigned.

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In a statement issued by the Lawmaker on what he described as “The Akufo-Addo Cathedral grand deception continues unabashedly” said, Government is well aware the revered Pastor Mensa Otabil has walked away from the National Cathedral project more than a year ago, and yet government continues to publish on its cathedral website https://www.nationalcathedralghana.org/leadership that Pastor Otabil is a member of the Board of Trustees.

Mr. Ablakwa again said, the Executive Director of what has been presented as a private Board of Trustees, Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah is being paid by the taxpayer as a full-time public official under Article 71 conditions at the Office of the President according to page 15 of the 2021 Annual Report to Parliament on Presidential Office Staff.

Coverghana.com.gh independent facts-checks have confirmed that, it’s true the General Overseer of International Central Gospel Church, Pastor Mensa Otabil has resigned from the National Cathedral Board of Trustees as earlier disclosed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

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It has been established that, the profile of Pastor Mensa Otabil has been removed from the National Cathedral website https://www.nationalcathedralghana.org/leadership in the evening of Thursday, 14th June, 2022 after the news went viral.

The Founder of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), is no longer a member of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees. The National Cathedral Secretariat has officially updated records on its website of the 5,000-seater capacity project.

Meanwhile the reason for Pastor Mensah Otabil’s resignation from the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral is not yet disclosed.

This came after the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee cum MP for North Tongu has made the revelation.

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“After exposing another layer of deception relating to the grossly misleading claim on the website of the national cathedral that Pastor Mensa Otabil was still a member of the Board of Trustees; I can now reveal that last night, Government quietly took out Pastor Otabil from the website.” Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa explained.

Members of Board of Trustees of Ghana’s National Cathedral

MEMBERS OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the 13- Member Board of Trustees at ceremony held at the Presidency (Jubilee House) on 16th March 2017 has resigned.

According to the President, the 13-member Board of Trustees will be in charge of the National Cathedral when it is completed

The inaugurated Board which largely constitutes heads of various church groups has again been tasked by President Akufo-Addo to oversee the successful completion of the National Cathedral Project.

Below are the 13-Member of Board of Trustees before Pastor Mensah Otabil resigned.

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

2. Archbishop Charles 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 – RESIGNED AS A 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

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh