The Assakae District Minister of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Ernest Perbi-Asare was presented the Kate Abbam Award for his Akuapem Twi book titled “De Mente?” which was adjudged the Best Ghanaian Language Book (second runner-up) at the Literary Awards ceremony organised by the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) on Saturday, November 16, 2019.
The 2019 Awards ceremony, which was under the theme: Honouring Literary Excellence, was held at the Event Haven of the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre at La in Accra. The event was the third edition of the Literary Awards following its revival by GAW in 2017.
The Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) Literary Awards is open to original and published works of Ghanaian authors and residents in Ghana for, at least three years and has been instituted to honour Ghanaian Literary excellence and to celebrate the outstanding efforts made by writers in different categories.
In an interview with PENTECOST NEWS, Pastor Perbi-Asare indicated that when he was transferred to the Ntewusae District (Kete-Krachi Area) of the church in 2015, the Lord laid it on his heart to write and publish a reading book in the Ghanaian Language to benefit the people of Krachi West District and other districts who were studying Akuapem Twi in their schools, since there were virtually no books in Ghanaian Language (Akuapem Twi) to be used in the basic schools.
According to him, the Ghanaian Language Special Award received, “is an affirmation that, language is the most effective tool for preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. It is by far man’s most important asset through which he can study and understand the values and concerns of the society.”
“I dedicate this Ghanaian Language Special Award to The Church of Pentecost for her intentionality in championing the study of mother tongue by way of translating almost all their churches’ training manuals and other relevant documents every year into eight major Ghanaian Languages”.
Pastor Perbi-Asare, a former Ghanaian Language (Akuapem Twi) tutor at the Seventh Day Adventist Senior High School at Asokore-Koforidua and Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, is currently one of the Akuapem Twi translators in the church.
The event was attended by Mr. Kwame Pianim (a celebrated Ghanaian Development Economist and an Investment Consultant) who was the special guest of honour and Mrs. Elizabeth Ohene (a journalist, writer, a broadcaster and a politician) who was the keynote speaker. Other important dignitaries in the country also featured at the ceremony.
Report by Assakae District Media Team