GHANA MOURNS OUR PRESIDENT

GHANA  MOURNS  OUR  PRESIDENT

The Late President J.E.A. Mills

For the first time in our history, a sitting President of Ghana has passed away. This was the sad news which reached my ears today, Tuesday 24th July, 2012.  
PROFESSOR JOHN EVANS ATTA MILLS IS NO 
 MORE. He was 68.

On this occasion of our national loss, I offer my deepest condolences to the newly inducted President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Mahama, Mrs Naadu Mills (Widow), the Government and People of Ghana.

The Late President Mills

Bereavement and disasters, in African societies, are usually embraced as communal affairs. People set aside, albeit temporarily, their differences of all sorts. They usually emerge from it much stronger than before.

Late President Mills taking Oath of office, 7th Jan., 2009

As we come together from our various political, religious, ethnic and social divides to mourn our President, I appeal to my fellow compatriots to stay calm, exercise restraint in all that we do or say and allow our laid-down constitutional and democratic procedures to be followed. It is an uncharted course in our political history, and I appeal to all stakeholders to unite in order to properly manage this transitional period. Just as we have emerged from previous socio-economic and political crises in our history, I know we will emerge from this transition stronger and more united
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 Between 1998 and 2008 when I served as Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Worldwide and President of Ghana Pentecostal Council, I had both the divine responsibility and privilege of serving under two Presidents-- H.E Flt. Lt. J. J. Rawlings and his V.P, H.E Prof. J.E.A Mills and H.E J A Kufuor and his V.P, H.E Alhaji Aliu Mahama.

With President Kufuor, Osu Castle, 2001

With President J. J. Rawlings in his office, Osu Castle,1998

With Vice President Aliu Mahama, Osu Castle, 2005

 I humbly call upon all Christians to arise in prayer. Let us supplicate before the Throne of Grace on behalf of our Motherland. The God of Heaven will hear us. His unerring Spirit will lead and guide us safely through. We will emerge stronger and better.

With then Vice President Mills, Osu Castle, 1998

           MAY GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA , AND MAKE OUR NATION 
                 GREAT AND STRONG.  

A TITANIC TRIO VISITS

COP Europe Heads, February 2012. Hamburg

I have often mentioned how the grace and mercy of God are sometimes demonstrated through the privilege of having ministry colleagues and others across the globe paying us visits. The camaraderie we enjoy; the fellowship we share; and the spiritual refreshing that we enjoy during such times are simply reinvigorating and rejuvenating.

Such was our blessing a couple of weeks ago when Elder Clement Wilkinson, Apostle Rigwell Ato Addison and Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi, all of Accra visited us.

Elder Clement Wilkinson and I

Elder Clement Wilkinson visited on 27^th June, 2012. He is the young, charismatic CEO of McKeown Ventures, one of the topmost enterprises in the real estate business in Ghana. With branches in all the regions of Ghana, he buys vast expanses of land and builds for sale or to the specification of his clients. Starting just about a decade ago, McKeown Ventures (smartly named after the Founder of The Church of Pentecost), has become one of the business titans in Ghana.

Apostle R Ato Addison and I

Apostle Rigwell Ato Addison is a household name in Ghana, especially within The Church of Pentecost (COP). Both his grandmother, Mrs. Christiana Obo, and his mother, the nonagenarian, Mrs. Eunice Addison, were among the pioneers who rubbed shoulders with Rev. James McKeown in the formative years of COP. Apostle Addison, an accountant by profession later entered the pastoral ministry of COP and rose through the ranks to become the third General Secretary of COP (1988-1993). He has also served as Financial Manager at the Headquarters of the church and missionary to Nigeria and Australia, among others. He is currently the Area Head of Teshie-Nungua Area in Accra. He visited us on 28^th June, 2012.

Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi and wife, Margaret

The third of the trio to visit us was Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi, General Secretary of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches Council (GPCC). The GPCC, until recently known as Ghana Pentecostal Council (GPC), was formed in 1969 by four churches, Assemblies of God, Christ Apostolic Church, The Apostolic Church of Ghana and COP. It has now grown to serve as the umbrella organization for more than 220 Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches, the largest Christian organization in Ghana.

 


I had the great honor and privilege of serving a two five-year term as President of GPC from 1998-2008, the period in which I also served as Chairman of COP.  

The gentle and affable Apostle Samuel Antwi took over from Apostle Ekow Wood as General Secretary of GPCC in 2009. He has the enviable record of being the pioneer of COP in Zimbabwe and some countries in East Africa.

L-R Mrs Martha Ntumy, Apostle S. Y. Antwi, myself, Mrs Margaret Antwi

Apostle S. Y Antwi and his wife, Margaret, were delegated by the leadership of GPCC to visit us on their behalf. They expressed the gratitude of the Council to God for my life and also interceded fervently for my ultimate recovery. They also brought us special gifts from the Council.

Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah

We are indeed grateful to Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah (Chairman, COP) who is the GPCC President, Rt. Rev Sam Korankye Ankrah (General Overseer, Royal House Chapel), and Apostle Stephen Amoani (Christ Apostolic Church), 1^st and 2^nd Vice President respectively, the rest of the National Executive Council members as well as the entire membership of GPCC for their prayers, support and diverse expressions of love. 

  In a related development, we were privileged to receive one of the most prominent personalities of The Church of Pentecost, Elder Edmund Bismark Adjabeng of Nkawkaw, Ghana. He is one of the longest serving members of the BOARD OF TRUSTEES of COP. He came to Hamburg on a private visit and called on me to see how I was faring.

Eld. E. B. Adjabeng and I

Dns Felicia Gyimah-Sakyi, Eld. E. B. Adjabeng, Ms Adjabeng