KP1 English Assembly Unveils Children's Box Library WEB

KP1 English Assembly Unveils “Children’s Box Library”

by with No Comment Children's MinistryChurch NewsTop Stories

The English Assembly of Kwabenya Point One (KP1) District in the Achimota Area of The Church of Pentecost officially launched the Children’s Ministry “Box Library” Project last Sunday.

The project, worth GHS 2,700.00, is stocked with 105 complete Bibles and other stationery items, etc.

The launching ceremony took place at the Children’s Ministry Quarters and was officiated by the District Minister, Pastor James Mckeown.

In his short exposition, Pastor McKeown encouraged all Children’s workers and officers in the Assembly to continue their good work.

He urged them to raise the standard of the Children’s Ministry with innovative projects like this, in order to bring more children in the community to Christ.

Among those present at the event were Elder Derek Owusu (Achimota Area Children’s Ministry Secretary), Elder Twum Boavo (KP1 District Secretary), Elder Samuel Oko Mensah (English Assembly Presiding Elder), and Sister Doreen Mensah (English Assembly Children’s Ministry Leader).

Report by Elder Derek Owusu

Tamale Area Pastorate & Wives Schooled On Emotional Stability WEB

Tamale Area Pastorate & Wives Schooled On Emotional Stability

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

The Tamale Area of The Church of Pentecost organised a seminar on emotional stability for ministers and their wives in the area.

The event, which took place on Thursday, May 11, 2023, was facilitated by Elder Eric Agyapong, the Head of Mental Health at the Tamale Metropolitan District of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

During his presentation, Elder Eric Agyapong emphasized the importance of ministers and their wives demonstrating a high level of emotional stability. He highlighted that emotional stability builds self-esteem and portrays maturity.

He further explained that the absence of emotional stability in the daily interactions of Church leaders with their members and officers can create a perception of chaos and mental or psychological weakness.

Referring to Proverbs 24:10, he emphasized that one’s emotional stability is tested in times of adversity or provocation. Therefore, ministers and their wives must be conscious of their reactions in such situations, as they are closely observed by those they interact with.

The Mental Health Officer then took the audience through the various stages of the grieving process.

He stated that the first stage is denial, followed by aggression or anger, and then bargaining. Other stages include acceptance, which, if not achieved, can lead to fixation at the depression stage and result in serious mental health issues.

Giving special attention to the Minister’s Wife, Elder Eric Agyapong explained that she must first understand herself as a woman. Women experience various changes in their bodies on a regular basis, such as pregnancy, menopause, and menstruation, which can lead to mood swings due to hormonal fluctuations.

He further advised that the minister’s wife must also recognize her roles as a pastor’s wife, a mother, a ministry partner, and sometimes a career woman. She must intentionally equip herself to respond appropriately to the various stressors she may encounter from different aspects of her life. By doing so, she can protect her marriage, relationships, and ministry, he noted, while adding that “the grace of God will be sufficient.”

Among the attendees at the seminar were Apostle Sylvester Arhin (Tamale Area Head and Executive Council Member) and his wife, Mrs. Regina Arhin, as well as Pastor Bernard Aziz Mohammed Abogorago (Area Secretary).

Report by Overseer Isaac Kwabena Tagoe (Assistant Area Reporter)

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Assin Foso Area Registers 2,086 Children Onto NHIS

by with No Comment Children's MinistryChurch NewsTop Stories

The Children’s Ministry of The Church of Pentecost in the Assin Foso Area has registered a total of 2,086 children onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

This took place during a two-day medical outreach the Church organised for children in some deprived communities in the Area.

The event, which took place in five centres, namely Assin Tebil, Assin Nnuannua, Assin Bereku, Assin Akropong and Assin Hasowode, brought together hundreds of children who were assessed and treated for various health conditions such as malaria, worm infestation, malnutrition, skin rashes among others. Children whose NHIS cards had expired were renewed.

Speaking to the media, Pastor Samuel Avornyo, the Area Children’s Ministry Leader, noted that the gesture was motivated by the concern for the physical well-being of children in deprived communities.

He added that the Area recorded some preventable child mortality cases in its annual reports, hence the outreach.

Pastor Avornyo thanked Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited and Elder Francis Mensah for donating drugs towards the project. He also paid glowing tribute to Elder Sam (Assin Foso Area Executive Assistant) for supporting financially to register some of the children onto the NHIS.

At the end of the two-day event, 906 people (898 children and eight adults) were screened and treated for various ailments, while 40 others were referred for further medical examination. To the glory of God, 153 souls, comprising 129 children and 24 adults, were won for the Lord.

Parents and children who benefitted from the medical outreach were full of praise to The Church of Pentecost and the sponsors.

Report by Pastor Samuel Avornyo, Area Reporter

Mampong Area Organises Maiden Youth Ministry RetreatWEB

Mampong Area Organises Maiden Youth Ministry Retreat

by with No Comment Church NewsTop StoriesYouth Ministry

The Mampong Area Youth Ministry of The Church of Pentecost organised a one-day retreat for youth members in the Area at the Tunsuom Central Assembly auditorium on Monday, May 1, 2023.

The event, held under the auspices of the Area Head, Apostle Samuel Kwabena Asare, and the Area Youth Ministry Leader, Overseer Enoch Kumi, had the theme “The Pentecostal Youth: Impacting His Generation (Joel 2:28-29).”

During the first session of the retreat, Pastor Samuel Kwesi Manu (Travelling Secretary for Mampong Sector and Resident Minister for PIWC-Mampong) spoke on the topic “The Pentecost Youth: Impacting His Generation through the Holy Spirit,” drawing from Acts 2:1-4, 1:8, and Joel 2:28.

In his sermon, Pastor Manu described the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Godhead.

Referencing John 14:17 and Acts 5:3-4, he stressed that the Holy Spirit is the same as God and Jesus Christ.

He also emphasised that when the youth allows their lives to be dominated by the workings of the Holy Spirit, they gain the power to preach the gospel and stand firm for Christ.

He further noted that the Holy Spirit enables believers to be sensitive to sin or sinful temptations.

“When one sins, the Holy Spirit convicts the person about the committed sin, enabling them to ask for forgiveness. The Holy Spirit also helps us to say no to sin,” he added.

Pastor Manu advised Christians, particularly young people, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and not engage in social vices like fornication, lies, or betting, so that God can use them to do exploits in their generation.

He also encouraged the youth to connect with their source of help, the Lord Jesus, to overcome challenges.

After the presentation, Pastor Raphael Agyekum-Darkwah, the Mampong Tunsuom District Pastor, led a Holy Spirit baptism session, during which 31 participants received the Holy Spirit baptism.

The event also featured career guidance and relationship sessions for teens and young adults, respectively. The discussions in the breakout sessions were led by Elder Dr. Holy Zanu, a Senior Lecturer at AAMUSTED Mampong, and Mrs. Mabel Cudjoe Amuzu, wife of Pastor Vincent Cudjoe Amuzu, the Kofiase District Pastor.

The topics discussed focused on how well the youth can select courses of study at their next level of education to match their aspirations and how they could choose the right marriage partner.

The maiden edition of the youth ministry retreat was well-attended and recorded 410 youth participants, consisting of 250 teens and 160 young adults.

Also in attendance at the event were Pastor Francis Nyarko Koomson (Nsuta District), Overseer Michael Osei-Yeboah (Birem District), Mrs. Eunice Kumi (wife of the Area Youth Leader), the Area Youth Ministry Executive Committee members, and District Youth Ministry leaders from the various districts.

Report by Mampong Area Media Desk

8 Gallant Officers Retire From Active Serviceweb

8 Gallant Officers Retire From Active Service

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

The New Tafo District in the New Tafo Area of The Church of Pentecost has held a retirement service in honour of eight gallant officers after years of meritorious service to God and the Church.

The service, which was held on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at the M. K Yeboah Memorial Temple, Krofrom, was chaired by the Area Head, Prophet Samuel Tetteh Doku, ably assisted by the District Minister, Pastor George Prah Amonoo.

The retirees, made up of 3 Elders, a Deacon and 4 Deaconesses were Elders Simon Amo Broni, who served for 41 years; Lawyer S. K Donkor, 19 years; Ben Korankye, 13 years as well as Deacon Joseph Kwaku Yeboah, 19 years. 

The rest were Deaconesses Cynthia Amo Broni, served for 41 years; Elizabeth Serwaa Bonsu, 38 years; Francisca Owusu Kesse and Georgina Antwi Boasiako also served for 31 and 30 years, respectively.

Prophet Tetteh Doku, in a sermon on the topic: “To Be Like Jesus to Impact the Nations” – (Ephesians 4:17-24; Galatians 2:20), exhorted the congregants on the need to live as transformed beings who no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts.

He enlightened that any individual, who believes in Christ Jesus, is crucified and the former life remains nailed to the cross and for that reason, the person becomes an example for others to follow, given that the former things are over and now imitates Christ and lives for Him.

Prophet Samuel Tetteh Doku commended the retirees for their selfless services and encouraged them to keep living for Christ, especially in their retirement to help advance the Kingdom of God.

Citations were presented to the retirees as prayer was said for them by Apostle Isaac Kwasi Amoako (Rtd).

Present at the service were Mrs Victoria Tetteh Doku (wife of the Area Head), Mrs Agnes Amonoo (wife of the District Minister), Pastor Frederick Sarfo (Sepe-Buokrom District), District Executive Members, Area Women’s Ministry representatives and many others.

Report by Dennis Owusu & Emmanuel Nana Nsiah

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Thousands Pay Last Respects To The Late Mrs. Grace Juddah

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

The mortal remains of Mrs. Grace Efua Mansa Darkwa Juddah, the late wife of the Odorkor Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, was laid to rest after a glorious service was held in her honour on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

The eventful service was officiated by the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, with support from the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, and some Executive Council Members of the Church, namely, Apostles Samuel Osei Asante, Isaac Nii Kotei Djani, Mike Etrue, Vincent Anane Denteh, and Prophet David Kankam Beditor.

Also in attendance were Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah Rtd. (Immediate-past Chairman), Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi (General Secretary-Elect and Asamankese Area Head), Apostle James Kwabena Asare (Kasoa Area Head), Apostle Dr. Christian Tsekpoe (Department Head of the Pentecost School of Theology and Mission at Pentecost University and Resident Minister for A-Lang Worship Centre), and a mammoth gathering of active and retired ministers, ministers’ wives, officers, members, relatives, and other sympathisers who had come from far and near to the Maranatha University College Park to pay their last respects to the departed minister’s wife.

It was indeed a glorious sight to behold as traditional rulers, clad in their regalia, showed up in great numbers to pay their respects to the late Mrs. Juddah.

Delivering a sermon titled “A Glorious Welcome” at the event, Apostle James Asare said that it does not matter how one leaves the earth, but what is certain is that every Christian will receive a glorious welcome in heaven.

With scripture reference to Luke 16:22, Apostle Asare revealed that there are only two destinations in eternity (life after death): a flight to heaven or hell.

He further noted that three facts remain: no matter one’s achievements, everyone will die; secondly, Jesus is the only way to heaven; and thirdly, one cannot miss heaven and miss hell.

“It does not matter where and how you depart; you are bound to arrive at these two destinations: heaven or hell,” he said.

According to him, what makes the arrival of believers in heaven a glorious one is that God knows when they are coming home, since He is the one who calls them home. This means that their arrival does not take Him by surprise, he said.

He also noted that the heavenly welcome is glorious because there is a massive preparation in place as Jesus promised that He is going to prepare a place for believers.

“Another reason why our welcome will be glorious is that the heavens become happy when the righteous return home from their earthly toils,” he added.

Concluding his sermon, the Kasoa Area Head said that it does not matter the physical condition in which Christians depart (whether fit or unfit) because they will receive a glorious body on their glorious return.

He, therefore, called on all who are yet to accept Christ to do so in order to experience this heavenly welcome.

He also encouraged the bereaved family and sympathisers to take solace from the fact that the late Mrs. Juddah is in a better place and is receiving a glorious welcome.

Survived by a husband and four children, Mrs. Grace Juddah and her husband, Apostle Isaac Tetteh Juddah, accepted the call to join the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 2001. They served in the following districts: Tanoso, Tamale, Pentecost International Worship Centre, and New Tafo (PIWC-New Tafo). After their service in these districts, they were called into missions and stationed in Zimbabwe for five years. In 2017, they were recalled from missions and stationed at Oyarifa.

During their time at Oyarifa District, they were appointed as Area Head and later transferred to the Sogakope Area in 2018. In 2022, they were reassigned to the Odorkor Area, where they served before Mrs. Juddah’s passing.

A tribute by the General Council of The Church of Pentecost, read by Apostle Nii Kotei Djani, described Mrs. Grace Juddah as “a devoted partner in the Lord’s vineyard.”

The tribute also acknowledged her remarkable contributions to God and the Church, stating that her passing was a blow to everyone who knew her.

“Despite facing adversity, she remained a resilient soldier of the Cross, serving God until her last breath,” it read.

The tribute provided comfort to the bereaved family, particularly the widower and the children, stating that she is now at peace in a better place, resting from her labours.

According to the General Council, Mrs. Juddah’s life left a legacy of faith that inspired many. Her exemplary life reflected the teachings of Christ, and she has left behind a legacy of faith and service that will continue to inspire future generations.

In moving tributes and choking on tears, her husband, referring to her as his “beloved queen,” and her children, recalled how her selflessness, determination, moral uprightness, humility, devotion, hospitality, and kindness, among other exemplary traits, brought stability to their home and significantly impacted their lives and ministry.

Mrs. Grace Juddah was born on April 7, 1972, to Opanin Thomas Kofi Darkwah and Obaapanin Selina Asantewaa, both from Begoro and now deceased.

She was the second of eight children. Mrs. Juddah, 51, was called to glory on Friday, March 24, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, after a prolonged illness caused by wrong medication resulting from a misdiagnosis.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Jospong, CSIR Join Forces To Enhance Food Security In Ghana

Jospong, CSIR Join Forces To Enhance Food Security In Ghana

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

The Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) in Gomoa Fetteh is set to host a two-day partnership workshop that will bring together over 200 experienced Ghanaian scientists to address food security challenges in the country.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ghana’s leading public scientific research institute, is organising the event in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI). The Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) and its subsidiary, the Asian African Consortium (AAC), are also partners for the event.

In a significant step towards bolstering food security efforts, the JGC/AAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the CSIR. This collaboration will facilitate large-scale production of essential agricultural commodities such as rice, maize, soybean, tomato, onion, and jute across Ghana’s diverse agro-ecological zones. By increasing domestic production, the partnership seeks to reduce the country’s reliance on food imports while creating job opportunities and improving nutrition.

The JGC/AAC and CSIR partnership also intends to establish training programs to provide technical support and advisory services and enhance research and development capacities.

Themed: “Enhancing Food Security: The Role of the Ghanaian Scientists,” the partnership workshop, which would kickstart this transformative venture, aims to accomplish several objectives, including the formation of inter-institutional technical teams specialising in various crops, such as rice, jute, maize, soybean, cowpea, tomato, and onion. These teams will work collaboratively on breeding, agronomic practices, mechanisation, innovation, and other key areas of operation.

Additionally, the workshop will develop the necessary frameworks and modalities for executing the program’s deliverables. This includes the creation of work plans and budgets for each technical team assigned to specific commodities.

The workshop would have in attendance 100 experts, including experienced scientists specialising in the listed crops of interest, soil scientists, plant breeders, agronomists, post-harvest scientists, crop protectionists, weed scientists, seed scientists, biotechnologists, animal feed scientists, agricultural engineers, irrigation agronomists, as well as experts in monitoring and evaluation, policy, and information technology.

The Ministry of Finance reports that Ghana’s annual import of essential food commodities, including rice, poultry, sugar, and tomatoes, has averaged around US$2 billion. Data from the ministry reveals that between 2017 and 2020, the country spent between US$845.9 million and US$2 billion solely on importing rice, poultry, tomatoes, and other items.

The JGC/AAC and CSIR’s collaborative efforts, thus, hold great promise for Ghana’s food security goals since the program will contribute significantly to reducing food imports, enhancing agricultural productivity, and ensuring a sustainable and secure food supply for the nation.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Principal Officers Brewed In The Pot Of The Children’s Ministry WEB

Principal Officers Brewed In The Pot Of The Children’s Ministry

by with No Comment ArticlesChildren's MinistryTop Stories

The just-ended 46th session of the General Council Meetings of The Church of Pentecost has left memorable events worth recounting. If there had ever been a time the Children’s Ministry has been given prominence, it was at that meeting. Aside from the many children who were recognised by the Chairman for excelling in their various fields of endeavour, our indefatigable Director, Pastor Professor William Otoo Ellis, was recognised for putting up and donating a state-of-the-art Children’s Resource Centre to the church and for introducing various flagship initiatives and activities in the ministry. Again, our affable Patron, Prophet David Kankam Beditor, also successfully ended his five-year meritorious service as an Executive Council Member of the church.

And oh, the bombshell that shattered and continues to reverberate in the minds of many is that the children membership of 1,120,524 at the end of 2022 makes up 31.1% of the total church membership. This gave rise to a call by leadership to pay closer attention to this critical mass. And lest I forget, God performed a miracle of raising the dead through a child.

As I sat through the proceedings and watched the elections of our principal officers, the Holy Spirit struck a chord in my heart. I could clearly draw a line of semblance that tied all the three Principal Officers-the Chairman-elect, the General Secretary-elect and the International Missions Director-into one bundle. That is the fact that they have all had a taste of the Children’s Ministry!

During the closing session of the Maiden Foundation Builders Conference held by the Children’s Ministry at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman of the church, testified of his conversion and early Christian nurturing through the Community Good News Club, which is currently an appendage of the Children’s Ministry.

Again, a cursory search of the background of Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi, the General Secretary-elect, reveals that he was born after 12 years of no issue after marriage to Pastor Fred T. Obuobi, the oldest surviving retired Minister of The Church of Pentecost. History has it that a 12-year-old girl who had just received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at a prayer meeting at Adeiso gave a prophetic word that his parents would give birth to a son and that they should name him Samuel. A year later, the prophetic word came true at their new station, Shama, and they named him Samuel Kwabena Nyamekye Gyau Obuobi. As a son of a Pastor, he no doubt immersed him in the Children’s Ministry.

From the grave vine, our current International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe, is also a son of a Deaconess in the church. There is, therefore, a high percentage chance of being introduced to the activities of the Children’s Ministry at a tender age.

One peculiar thing about the wives of these revered principal officers of the church, too, is that they all had had a taste of the Children’s Ministry. Oh, is it not heartwarming, too, that most ministerial candidates are young people who have gone through the mill of the Children’s Ministry?

God chose Abraham as his confidant, and He will not hide anything from him because He says concerning him in Genesis 18:18 that “… Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” just as The Church of Pentecost is today.

The strategy he knew Abraham would employ, as recorded in Genesis 18:19, was “… he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

God’s choice of Abraham bore great fruit when he went out to deliver Lot and his family and others with men trained from his household, just as the church is raising great men and women born and breed from her fold to champion the “possessing the nations” agenda. Genesis 14:14-16 states that:

“14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.”

In the church today, where getting the adult members to embark on evangelism and other activities is becoming increasingly complex, our surest bet in getting the engine of growth running is paying more attention to the Children’s Ministry. Their young hearts are ready fertile grounds that can hold and nurture the seeds of the future of the church. Again, their hearts are malleable; for that matter, any change we hope to effect in the nations could start with them (Proverbs 22:6).

What should we do then? More investments should be made in human resource and capacity building, financial, infrastructural and material into the ministry. Again, appointing people with the heart of children at all levels to man CM activities and programs should be taken seriously. Furthermore, more accountability should be sought from leadership at all levels concerning how issues concerning children are handled. Supervisors at all levels must demand the same accountability from leadership in winning and retaining children, Holy Spirit Baptism, children’s attendance to Sunday School, and teens baptised and transferred to the youth ministry, among others. This should be done with the same alacrity as the adult membership. Finally, mentorship opportunities should be given to the children. With the introduction of the Jethro Initiative, more is being done in this direction. Still, can leadership at all levels intentionally visit the children and share their life experiences? Can we intentionally identify and bring together the alumni of the Ministry in all fields to inspire these little ones?

Can we start Children-Only Assemblies, where it is becoming difficult to get the adults? Nurture them well, and soon our membership will be skyrocketing. Can we encourage our children’s workers to give their best in training the children? Can we supply the needed resources to make their training smooth? Can we give the same attention, if not more, to the children just as we give to the adult? indeed, the future of the church will be secured, and we will continue to possess the nations from generation to generation. I believe these will help leave indelible marks in the hearts of our children as they seek to find their feet in our ever-changing world in all fields of endeavour.

In conclusion, for The Church of Pentecost to continue to exist and expand its frontiers in the Possessing the Nations Agenda, the Children’s Ministry must be seen as one of the surest conduits. Their young hearts are ready for the fire of the Holy Ghost. They must be built now rather than wait and embark on the arduous task of repairing them in their old age. After all, Frederick Douglas says, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”. Such post-destruction recovery ventures could only be termed AMBULANCE MINISTRY.

May the Lord continue to bless his church! May he raise men and women through the Children’s Ministry, who will take the nations by storm!

Written by Pastor Samuel Avornyo.

Cultivate The Habit Of Gratitude WEB

Cultivate The Habit Of Gratitude – Apostle Sanpha Urges Youth

by with No Comment Church NewsTop Stories

The Sierra Leone National Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Morie Sanpha, has called on the youth to always develop the habit of gratitude towards God in all situations.

“The very essence of human life depends on the Creator, God. Therefore, we have every opportunity to express gratitude for the strength and the gift of life bestowed upon us,” he emphasised.

Apostle Sanpha made the call during his visit to Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) on Thanksgiving and Communion Sunday at Pentecost University in Accra on Sunday, May 7, 2023.

According to the National Head, thanksgiving is a form of prayer that can evoke supernatural interventions from God.

He explained the concept of thanksgiving using the acronym “AGGA,” which stands for Acknowledgement, Gratefulness, Gratitude, and Appreciation.

Drawing from biblical references such as 1 Thessalonians 5:17-24, John 11:38-41, Genesis 2:7, and James 1:17, he elucidated that as God is the source of life, He expects nothing less than appreciation, gratitude, and gratefulness from His creation.

Speaking on the theme, “The Power of Thanksgiving,” Apostle Sanpha stressed the need for Christians to always acknowledge God as the source of everything.

“The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear and appreciate Him,” he stated, adding, “The blessings of God are inexhaustible for those who demonstrate gratitude and gratefulness.”

He further indicated that when believers live with an appreciation towards God, He bestows special blessings upon them, as He is an infinite God who requires gratitude. He urged the students to refrain from covetousness and instead focus on appreciating God.

Expounding on the benefits of thanksgiving, Apostle Sanpha explained that it reveals the glory of God, thereby connecting Christians to Him as the ultimate source of life.

He emphasised that God’s glory encompasses His nature and beauty, stating, “We should not merely be believers, but students who give thanks to God, as it is through Him that we accomplish great things.”

Report by Knackpent Editorial, PENSA PU

Plastic Waste Menace In Ghana The Church Of Pentecost & Jospong Group To The Rescue

Plastic Waste Menace In Ghana: The Church Of Pentecost & Jospong Group To The Rescue

by with No Comment ArticlesTop Stories

What happens when the plastic bucket we bought from the Makola Market becomes old and breaks into pieces? What happens when we no longer need plastic bottles after drinking its content? What happens to our broken plastic chairs and washing basins? The good news is that plastic waste can be recycled and granted a new lease on life.

Plastic waste has become one of the most severe threats to human nature. According to the Geneva-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), by 2015, 60% of all plastics produced had become plastic waste. Plastic waste has become “ubiquitous,” found in the air, soil, freshwater, and the sea. Plastic waste in the oceans and seas off the coast of Africa has increased from an estimated 4.4 million tonnes in 2010 to 17 million tonnes in 2022. According to the World Economic Forum, Ghana generates 840,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, and only 9.5% of that figure is collected for recycling.

To tackle this issue, The Church of Pentecost and the Jospong Group of companies have partnered to help segregate plastic waste at home before it reaches the final disposal sites, drains, and oceans. The ongoing plastic waste project between the Jospong Group of Companies and The Church of Pentecost, which started a couple of years ago, is gathering momentum. Under the program, church leaders educate their members to segregate their plastic waste from other forms of waste and forward them to aggregators who will, in turn, sell them to UPPR Ghana Limited.

The Church of Pentecost has paid critical attention to environmental education and sustainable development. Church leaders are encouraged to educate their members to keep their communities clean, plant trees, and segregate their plastic waste from other forms of waste in the waste stream. Zoomlion Ghana Limited has taken a keen interest in improving the sanitation situation in the country for over 17 years. In 1998, the company introduced a Free Waste bin promotion in which thousands of households were given free 240-litre waste bins at no cost to help partly separate plastic waste from other forms. Additionally, the company initiated public education programs to educate the public on how to protect their health through proper waste separation, storage, and disposal.

“The Plastic waste menace is a huge challenge all over the world.,” says Mrs. Florence Larbi, Chief Operating Officer of the Environment and Sanitation Cluster of the Jospong Group. “Jospong Group and Zoomlion Ghana Limited have teamed up with The Church of Pentecost to help our dear nation Ghana manage the situation better by educating church members to separate their plastic waste from other forms at home. By this, the plastic will not go to the landfill but will be sent to the right places such as Jospong Group recycling and manufacturing plants such as the IRECOPS and UPPR Ghana Limited,” Mrs. Larbi explained further.

Various Jospong Group subsidiaries, such as the Universal Plastic Product and Recycling (UPPR) company as well as Zoomlion Ghana Limited, held various buyback events throughout the country from March 13th to 19th, 2023, under this year’s Environmental Care Campaign of The Church of Pentecost, which focused on Plastic waste. They bought tonnes of plastic waste from various districts of the church nationwide. The Coordinator for National Discipleship and Leadership Development Committee (NDLDC), Apostle Samuel Gakpetor, said the exercise is necessary to help the country rid itself of plastic waste while making good use of the plastics collected. Even after the environmental campaign, he called on all church members to continue collecting plastic waste for sale to Jospong Group.

He said, “Plastic waste is causing a lot of havoc around and negatively impacting the health of people, even in the country.” He, therefore, called on all church members to continue collecting plastic waste for sale to Jospong Group even after the environmental campaign. UPPR Ghana Limited was selected to partner with the church because the company has the requisite machinery to process the plastic waste into other usable items that will benefit society.

“UPPR is in the business of recycling plastics and adding value to them,” says Mr. Perumalsamy SureshKumar, General Manager of UPPR Ghana Limited, who piloted the buyback event in Bompata, Kumasi, and Ashaiman in Accra. “We have been doing this for the past ten years, manufacturing waste bins, chairs, bin liners, and other items for households, waste management companies such as Zoomlion Ghana Limited and other members of the Environmental Service Providers Association.”

“As a company, we firmly believe in supporting the United Nations in its quest to build sustainable cities and communities as stated in the Sustainable Development Goals number 11, as well as goals 14 and 15, which talk about ‘Life underwater’ and ‘Life on land,’ respectively. This can easily apply to plastic pollution on land and in the sea.

“Our primary focus is on PET bottles,” says Mrs. Sharon Lamptey, Head of Zoomlion’s International Business Development Unit. “We have intentions of adding more value to these PET bottles.

“Our interest is in plastics,” says Ms. Sophia Nana Kudjordji, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Jospong Group, adding, “We are excited to partner with The Church of Pentecost in this great venture for God and country.”

The global plastic waste management market is expected to grow from $35.25 billion in 2022 to $41.39 billion in 2026. Hopefully, the Jospong Group – The Church of Pentecost partnership will help Ghana’s economy thrive.

Written by Isabella Gyau Orhin.