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Pastor Clement Achim Gyimah, the Roman Ridge District Minister of The Church of Pentecost in Accra, has been appointed as African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN) Ghana Country Representative.

In this role, he will lead the development, implementation and promotion of ARDN programmes under the direction of Dr. Djibril Diallo, ARDN President and CEO. His appointment took effect from September 30, 2021.

“Rev. Achim Gyimah has more than 20 years of experience in youth leadership and the promotion of youth empowerment. He has successfully led projects and programmes on the promotion of youth leadership and voluntary service in Ghana and internationally. He has designed, led and monitored several public initiatives on capacity building for youth leaders and young people. Rev. Achim Gyimah also has a strong background in building strategic partnerships and coaching for youth capacity building,” a statement issued by ARDN Office in New York in the United States of America, has stated.

According to the statement, Pastor Achim Gyimah brings to ARDN his expertise in youth moblisation and strategic partnerships.

Rev. Achim Gyimah has MSc. in Organisational Development and an Alumni of London School of Economics and Political Science, Programme for Africa Leadership and holds several certificates on leadership. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Management. He is a founding member of ROJALNU (Pan-African Youth Leadership Network) and the first Country Coordinator for Global Youth Action Network in Ghana. He has been a Minister of The Church of Pentecost in Ghana for the past 17 years.

The ARDN is an internationally operating NGO headquartered in New York, with the status of a United States 501(c)(3) public charity. ARDN mission is to accelerate the attainment of the African renaissance by advocating for and supporting United Nations programmes and priorities. To this end, ARDN mobilizes the passion of government, educators, artists, intellectuals, the private sector, civil society and youth, using the power of art, sport and culture as vectors for creating a better world. ARDN serves as the Secretariat for the Global Alliance of Mayors and Leaders from Africa and of African Descent.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has waded into the controversy surrounding the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values (PPHSRGF) Bill stressing that it is an issue of morality and not of rights.

“If we have a society where there are no absolutes, soon there will be no law. Likewise, if every behaviour is shielded by Law, soon we would have no laws. So, we need to be careful when arguing about this because the matter on the floor [of parliament] is not about rights, it is about morality,” he said when the church presented six memos with more than 15,000 signatories in support of the Anti-LGBTQ+bill to parliament on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

The Chairman said that The Church of Pentecost, with a membership of more than three million people, representing approximately 10 per cent of the nation’s population, is fully backing the bill and urged the lawmakers to pass it into law to safeguard the family values of the Ghanaian people.

Apostle Nyamekye cautioned that if the activities of LGBTQ+ are not criminalised, it would lead to acceptance of same-sex marriages in the future, which would have far-reaching consequences for the nation.

He advised the legislators not to base their arguments only on scientific facts but to understand that “the whole world is a sovereign state owned by a sovereign God,” and the Creator of the world reserves the right to determine how His creation should live. “It is not up to other creations to show us how we should live,” he added.

The Chairman also urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to exercise his constitutional [executive] powers in helping to bring finality to this long-standing issue.

“As a church, our concern is not about today, but the future. When we allow the activities of LGBTQ+ it would lead to same-sex marriages, which the President has said would never happen under his watch,” he said.

He added: “However if the President allows LGBTQ+ activities to continue, although same-sex marriage may not happen under his watch as president it will happen after he is no more president of the nation. Rather, what he should do is to stop it. He should close the door where it matters, and we are saying it should be now.”

Apostle Nyamekye said that the church’s support for the bill should not be seen as a promotion of hate towards LGBTQ+ persons, but against their immoral activities. This is why, according to him, the PPHSRGF bill would not only criminalise the act but also offer reformative measures for persons with such sexual disorders.

The Church of Pentecost, together with other Christian groups, presented to parliament separate memos in support of the passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill into law. The memos were received on behalf of the Committee of Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs by Mr. Owusu Mensah (Acting Deputy Clerk, Finance, Administration and Legal Affairs), who assured them that it would be submitted to the committee for consideration.

The ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values’ Bill is a private members’ legislation laid before parliament by the Member of Parliament of Ningo Prampram, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, and six other legislators.

The bill, among other things, seeks to criminalise LGBTQI+ activities in the country and proposes sanctions against groups and individuals who promote LGBTQI.

Since this presentation in August this year, the bill has received wide support from the Ghanaian population including Christian and Para-Christian bodies, the Muslim community, non-religious entities, traditional rulers, and opinion leaders in Ghana.

PENTECOST NEWS

The Church of Pentecost has made a strong statement of support towards the legislation of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill when it presented six memos along with 15,000 signatories to parliament today.

The presentation, which was made along with other Christian groups and church denominations, took place at the office of the committee of constitutional, legal, and parliamentary affairs.

During the presentation, the Chairman of the Church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, did not mince words when he voiced out the Church’s strong stance against the activities of LGBTQ+.

He said the church has a membership of over three million members, which forms 10 per cent of the nation’s population, adding that, with these significant numbers, it is throwing its weight behind the passage of the bill.

“As a church, our concern is not about today, but the future. When we allow the activities of LGBTQ+ what would happen is that it would lead to same-sex marriages, which the President has said would never happen under his watch,” he said.

He added: “However, if he allows LGBTQ+ activities to continue, although same-sex marriage may not happen under his watch as president, it will happen after he is no more president of the nation. Rather, what he should do is to stop it. He should close the door where it matters; and we are saying it should be now”.

Apostle Nyamekye urged parliamentarians to critically consider the bill and not to regard it as an issue of right, but one of morality. He also revealed that among the 15,000 signatories were trustees of the church, workers, and the youth. The memos, on the other hand, he said, were received from the Youth, children, men, women, workers, and theologians of church.

Other churches represented at the presentation ceremony were the Methodist Church of Ghana (MCG), the Apostolic Church of Ghana (ACG) and the Christ Apostolic Church of Ghana.

Presenting a memo on behalf of the Methodist Church of Ghana (MCG), the Presiding Bishop of the MCG, Most Rev. Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, said the MCG has always held a strong stance against the activities of the LGBTQ+ and is therefore in full support of the bill laid before parliament for legislation. He said that attached to the memo of the mother-church are separate memos by the Accra Diocese and the Children’s Ministry of the Methodist church, who associate with the bill, describing “it as one for the future.”

Expressing the support of the Apostolic Church for the bill, the President of the ACG, Apostle Dr. Narh Ami, said that LGBTQ+has been a long-standing issue in the nation, and was glad that the bill has finally been brought to the fore to be addressed.

According to him, the activities of LGBTQ+has great consequences on the future, hence the need for the country to take a strong stance against it.

“As a church, we believe that when we make sexuality so fluid to the extent that anyone can just get up and say ‘I am this or I am that,’ it becomes difficult, and no nation has what it takes to deal with that kind of confusion. We also believe that God only made the male and female,” he said.

The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches (NACCC), National Clergy Association, and Ghana Congress on Evangelisation (GHACOE) also formed part of the Christian delegation that presented the memos to the office of the committee of constitutional, legal, and parliamentary affairs. The memos were received on behalf of the committee by Mr. Owusu Mensah (Acting Deputy Clerk , Finance, Administration and Legal Affairs), who assured them that it would be submitted to the committee for consideration.

Meanwhile, other Christian groups such as the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) have also submitted memos in support the new private members’ bill.

They also argue that the new bill stems from its long-standing and consistent biblical position on the preservation of God’s original plan for marriage, procreation and the preservation of the family value system and any attempt to pervert this system would be fiercely resisted through all spiritual, physical and legal means.

PENTECOST NEWS

An Elder of The Church of Pentecost (who has pleaded anonymity) and his family has constructed a Community Based Church Building (CBCB) for Agou Fie Assembly in the Kabiti District of the church.

The edifice which cost GH¢60,000.00 to construct, according to the elder, was part of his support for missions work in the Nkwanta Area of the church.

Works on the project started in January this year, with the Nkwanta Area supporting it with an amount of GH¢9,000.00. It has since been completed and dedicated by the immediate past Area Head, Apostle James Kwabena Asare, assisted by Overseer Erick Makafui Boatri, the District Minister. 

The new building happens to be the first church building to be dedicated in the Kabiti District following its creation in 2020. The district, located along the Oti arm of the Volta Lake has most of the local assemblies surrounded by the Lake.

According to the Area Head, the elder initially donated an amount of GH¢10,000.00 to support missions in the Area.

“Upon careful consideration, he decided to put up a church building in Kabiti District which then had only one completed church building out of 11 assemblies, with the rest worshipping in temporary structures and under trees,” he said while commending the chief of the community for releasing a parcel of land to the church for the project.

Apostle James Asare stated that the construction of the building in Agou Fie, being a Chala community, would help reach out to the people in the church’s quest to reach out to all unreached people groups.

“Construction of this building will enhance our evangelistic activities in the community, especially the activities of the Home and Urban Missions which seeks to reach out to the Chalas and other Northern tribes in line with Vision 2023,” he stressed.

He expressed his profound gratitude to the elder and his family for the support and prayed that others will be encouraged by his gesture and emulate same.

The elder, who could not attend the dedication ceremony held on August 6, 2021, in a message stated that the reason for the initiative was to give glory to God.

“I believe the fundamental purpose is to give glory to God and not men like us. Some great Christians do better and greater things for God but they don’t trumpet it. God, in His own way and wisdom, rewards them publicly,” he explained, adding, “I prefer the rewards and blessings of God.”

Members of Agou Fie Assembly could not hide their joy as they praised God and expressed great appreciation to Him for touching the heart of the elder to come to their aid.

The dedication ceremony, which attracted a large number of members of the community was also attended by Pastor Gordon Boadi (Sabon District Minister who also doubles as the Area Estate Committee Chairman), Overseer Francis Assoah (District Minister, Bonakye), Overseer Maxwell Doku (District Minister, Uwumborgnan, Kpassa) and Mrs. Faustina Ama Atua Boatri (Kabiti District Minister’s wife).

The chief of Kabiti and his elders as well as the representatives of the chief of Agou Fie graced the occasion.

Report by Overseer Eric Makafui Boatri, Kabiti District.