Speaking at the launch of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana’s Bicentennial Anniversary on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at the Osu Castle, Dr. Kwakye underscored the bill’s importance, describing its approval as a key step in preserving Ghanaian values and the church’s heritage.

“For us Presbyterians, having supported the bill under the leadership of my predecessor, we interpreted it as our birthday gift for this year. Your Excellency, make our joy complete by assenting to the bill so that it becomes a law in Ghana. We seek to preserve the values of the African people through the gospel, and we are confident that you will do so,” he said.

Dr. Kwakye’s appeal follows the Supreme Court’s recent unanimous dismissal of two petitions challenging the constitutionality of the bill.

On December 18, the Court rejected separate challenges from broadcast journalist and lawyer Richard Dela Sky and Amanda Odoi.

Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, the bill’s fate remains uncertain as President Akufo-Addo previously stated he would wait for all legal challenges to be resolved before taking further action.

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The church has said the decision to reword is aimed at addressing the possibility of any ambiguity arising from the use of the word “Catholic.”

The decision was arrived at by the General Assembly Council at its June 2024 meeting held in Abokobi, following careful consideration and discussion.

This was contained in a statement dated June 18, 2024, and signed by the Clerk of the General Assembly of the church, Dr. Godwin Nii Noi Odonkor.

The church paid a total of GHC 28, 392 as the fines that landed these persons, mainly youth in prison due to their default in payment.

The fine ranges from GHC 460 to GHC 2,640.

The jail term of the inmates ranges from 3 months to 18 months with their ages ranging between 18 and 30 years.

Speaking at a short ceremony to see the inmates off on Friday, June 9 at the Central Prisons in Sunyani, the Chairperson of the Brong Ahafo Presbytery, Rev Benjamin Appiah, said this was part of the church’s social responsibility.

He said the church periodically visits the Prisons to propagate the gospel, dine with the inmates and donate items necessary for their survival.

However, “When I requested for the list of inmates who have defaulted in paying the fines imposed on them, I was taken aback after seeing that some are serving jail terms because of Ghc 460. With support from members of the entire Presbytery and the Church, we raised Ghc 28,970 meant to set 18 inmates free.”

“The processes are successful for the release of 15 inmates today and we hope the courts would sit for the process to begin for the remaining three inmates whose fines have already been paid by the church,” he emphasised.

The Reverend Minister added that the church would engage the freed inmates to know what they can do so that they engage them to be useful to themselves and society.

“When I see them I see some big men in them, these young ones cannot spend their youthful lives in prison. If only they are willing to allow themselves to be reformed, we are ready as a church to ensure they make meaningful lives for themselves and the society.”

Meanwhile, with mixed feelings of tears and joy, the inmates expressed their appreciation to the church for their kind gesture, saying they never expected this to happen in the course of serving their jail terms.

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Items donated included bags of rice, bags of maize, cooking oil, sugar, gari, milk, biscuits, drinks, washing detergents and packs of toilet rolls.

Presenting the items on behalf of the ministry, the leader, Mr Daniel Kwame Ntim, said every year, the group goes on a retreat up the Akropong mountain.

As part of preparations for this year’s event, God laid it heavily upon their heart to make a donation to the Akropong School for the Blind and therefore decided to heed to the voice of the Lord.

The ministry also made special donations to two longest-serving staff of the school.

They presented an envelope each with an undisclosed amount of money and cans of drinks to the beneficiaries; a teacher; Kojo Adu and a non-teaching staff; Kwesi Anarfo who have been there since 1983.

Expressing his appreciation for the kind gesture, Mr Adu appealed to government to extend his stay in the school by giving him a year contract to enable him to assist the final year students with their studies as his pension is due in August.

On his part, Mr Anarfo thanked the group for the donation but also appealed to government to increase his salary since his take-home pay is just GHS500 after all deductions.

“My monthly salary is 850 cedis and after all deductions have been made, I am left with only 500 cedis as my take home pay. To work in a  school since 1983 and to take home 500 cedis is heartbreaking,” he lamented.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the school, Rev. Ebenezer Domson, Chaplain of the school who could not hide his excitement, thanked the prayer ministry for the kind gesture.

He said most of the children are from less privileged homes and as such donations like this will go a long way to help the children.

A recent eruption in the age-long conflict in the area has partially grounded social and economic activities in the Bawku area.

For instance, the Presbyterian Midwifery Training College at Bawku has partially been shut down due to insecurity, and the final year students have been transferred to the Bolgatanga campus.

This is to enable them to prepare adequately for their final examination.

First-year students have also begun their training at the Bolgatanga campus while other continuing students, who are supposed to be in school, are currently at home waiting till the security situation is favourable enough for them to return to school.

Aside from that, at the Presbyterian Hospital at Bawku, which has a 400-bed capacity and serves as a major referral centre for cases from adjoining communities and districts, only 20 patients are currently on admission.

Regarding the Out-Patients Department (OPD), although it previously received an average of over 400 patients daily, the number has reduced to an average of 50 patients daily.

The acting Head of the Bawku Presbyterian Health Services, Thomson A. Apana, disclosed this when the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt Rev Prof Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante visited the area.

Accompanied by the Upper Presbytery Chairperson, Rev James Awuni, and the PCG National Director for Mission and Evangelism, Rev Dr Emmanuel Sarbah, their mission was to acquire first-hand information on how the security situation in the area was impacting on the hospital and the training college.

It formed part of the Moderator’s pastoral tour of the Upper Presbytery of the PCG comprising Upper East, Upper West and some parts of the North East and Savanna regions respectively.

Briefing the team, the acting Head of the Bawku Presbyterian Health Services, Thomson A. Apana, said the staff were currently being paid while staying at home and thereby causing a huge financial drain on the facility.

Let peace prevail

In his response, Rt Rev Mante appealed to the feuding factions, whether Kusasi or Mamprusi, to know that they are first and foremost Ghanaians and should not allow the divisive aspects of their history to destroy the peace they are currently enjoying.

“We are all having the same Ghanaian blood flowing through us and that it is only a design of history that one is Kusasi and another a Mamprusi; we should not let our history destroy our future,” he said.

He said “the world is moving forward and improving in many areas of development and that we cannot afford to draw ourselves back with inter-ethnic issues”, adding “I plead with all my heart for you to let peace prevail and be done quickly”.

He added that the PCG did not want to be compelled to get to a situation where it had to move both the hospital, the training college and other educational institutions out of Bawku if the current volatile situation persisted.

Dedication

During the dedication of the Chapel of the Peniel Congregation of the PCG, Bolgatanga, Rt Rev Mante, called on the people of Bawku to let peace prevail to accelerate the development of the area for the benefit of the people.

“I have visited Bawku to pray for the peace of the community and also encouraged members of the Christian community to let the peace of Jesus Christ dwell in their hearts towards ensuring lasting peace in the area,” he said.