The Wa Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Daniel Nii Tetteh Tackie, on Thursday, August 4, 2022, commissioned a weaving centre for smock and kente making constructed by the Pentecost Social Services (PENTSOS) at Kaleo, a community in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
The project falls under the Economic Empowerment Programme (EPP) of PENTSOS, which seeks to economically empower church members, especially the youth, to gain sustainable employment.
Apostle Tetteh Tackie, in his welcome address, indicated that the centre is in line with the transformation agenda of the Church, dubbed “Vision 2023: Possessing the Nations.”
He thanked the Executive Council for the impactful vision. He also applauded the Kaleo District Minister of the Church, Pastor Sampson Agyei, and the Kaleo District Executive Committee for initiating the training programme to provide employable skills and reduce urban migration among the youth.
The Domwine District Minister, Pastor Felix Opoku, in a short exhortation based on 1 Samuel 21:8-9, encouraged staff and trainees to make every effort to take good care of the centre.
In a brief remark, Elder Ing. Frank Adutwum, the Operations Coordinator of PENTSOS, said it is the vision of the leadership of the Church to provide income-generating ventures for her members, hence the construction of the centre.
He noted that the centre comprises a training area, an office and a storeroom for the vocation.
Elder Adutwum further indicated that three similar projects have been completed at Temaa in the Walewale (for sewing) Area and Daloagyili in the Tamale Area (for weaving, sewing and hairdressing) and Zebilla in the Bawku Area (for smock weaving).
“In all. 220 youth are being trained in these four centres,” he said.
The Kaleo Weaving Centre started in 2019 with four apprentices. The centre currently boasts 50 trainees, out of whom 13 have successfully graduated after passing their National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) exams. In addition to the centre, the Wa Area of the Church runs two smock-weaving centres at Wa and Wapani.
The commissioning of the centre was witnessed by a cross-section of the area pastorate and their wives, the Chairperson of Upper West Weaving Association, the Chairperson for the Kaleo Weaving Association, family members of graduands and members of the Church.
PENTECOST NEWS.