IN Ghana, the name Akuapem is synonymous with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG).
This is because the area composed of lofty mountain ranges was one of the first stops of the Basel Missionaries that came to the then Gold Coast more than 150 years ago to spread the gospel.
Having succeeded over the years in converting many indigenous people to Christianity (to be precise the PCG), the missionaries and the converted Africans, some of whom took to the clergy and spread the gospel to all parts of Akuapem, as well as other traditional areas in the region where churches were established.
At the same time, the PCG established a number of schools to give formal education to the people.
The PCG also set up many health facilities, making it the third largest (after the government and the Catholic Church) in the provision of such facilities in the country.
To oversee the proper administration of the area, the PCG decided to set up the Akuapem Presbytery headed by a chairperson to be in charge of the area’s spiritual and physical development.
The Akuapem Presbytery, which is also one of the oldest and largest presbyteries of the PCG, came into being with the first synod of the church at Kyebi in 1927 to cater for a vast area which now covers the whole of the Akuapem Traditional Area, New Juaben and some parts of Akyem Abuakwa. The Presbytery is composed of 18 districts.
The districts are Akropong, the headquarters, Abiriw, Aburi, Adawso, Adeiso, Adukrom, Amonokrom, Asuboi, Coaltar, Effiduase, Koforidua, Larteh, Mamfe, Mampong, Nankese, Nsawam, Nsukwao, Suhum and Tutu.
To continue with its vision of catering for the spiritual and material needs of its members and society in general, the past chairpersons of the presbytery supported by the reverend ministers, catechists and caretakers, followed that direction, especially in the establishment of additional schools and welfare service centres.
One of such chairpersons is the Rev. (Dr) J.O.Y. Mantey, who was given the mantle to lead the presbytery three years ago.
Within the limited period, Rev. (Dr) Mantey has been able to further improve the infrastructure of the schools, as well as providing other social services, primarily in the rural areas where poverty is endemic to alleviate the suffering of the poor.
Some of the facilities are a bungalow for the Aburi Girls Senior High School (SHS), a dormitory for the Aburi Senior High/Technical School, a girls’ dormitory for Mampong PRESEC, roofing of classrooms that were ripped off during rainstorm at Suhum PRESEC, a dormitory for the Adeiso Presbyterian Senior High/Technical School and a classroom block for the Coaltar Presbyterian Senior High/Technical School, as well as residential facility for the headmaster free-of-charge.
The presbytery, which also provides large quantities of books and stationery for many basic schools within its catchment area, is currently running two vocational schools at Abiriw and Adawso.
In the health sector, the presbytery has built and ran two clinics at Aburi and Obregyima, a small farming community near Teacher Mantey on the main Accra-Kumasi highway, as well as paying the premium of the health insurance scheme for many of rural dwellers who under no circumstance could afford to pay.
A hospitality centre is also being constructed near an office complex which was put up in April this year at Akropong-Akuapem to administer the presbytery.
One thing worth noting is that Rev. (Dr) Mantey, who has passion for providing for the needs of the poor in society, has personally been taking care of such unfortunate people in some of the villages, at times with the support of Samaritan Purse, an American-based non-governmental organisation.
The towns and villages which have benefited from his largesse are Dokrokyiwa, Coaltar, Adeiso, Obum and Onokwase, a deprived community near Kraboa Coaltar with about 600 people where he had distributed clothes and other items to both adults and schoolchildren.
“There are many unfortunate people, especially children from very poor parentage with no hope of making a living like the ordinary persons so sometimes I use my own money to buy items like footwear and dresses for them,” Rev. (Dr) Mantey stated.
Rev. (Dr) Mantey, who is also the chairman of the Peace Council in the region, sees traditional rulers as partners in the development of the presbytery and, therefore, dialogued with them in that respect during his first year in office.
He has advised the chiefs not to consider the power they wield to be more important than peace enjoyed by their people.
To him, traditional rulers must learn to sacrifice and stomach certain undesirable things for the sake of peace to enable society to progress.
With regard to the duration of the SHS, the reverend minister was of the view that it is currently beset with numerous challenges, especially infrastructure.
He, therefore, called for a bold decision to be taken on either to maintain the current four-year duration or three years so that the necessary infrastructure would be provided to cater for all the students.
“I believe the government has not been able to provide the required infrastructure, especially dormitories so many senior high schools within the presbytery are facing serious problems in that respect. “If fresh students, especially those from far away places are to stay in rented premises outside campus, there is the likelihood they would go wayward,” Rev. (Dr Mantey stated.
The tremendous contribution made by the Rev. (Dr) Mantey for the spiritual and material development of the Akuapem Presbytery can be attributed to his rich educational background and extensive tour to many parts of the world on ecclesiastical assignments that have well positioned him for the job.
Born in Kumasi on November 9, 1957, Rev. (Dr) Mantey attended a number of basic, secondary and tertiary educational institutions and crowned them all with two masters’ degrees in Theology and Philosophy of Religion, as well as Doctor of Philosophy in Systematic Theology and Philosophy, all from the prestigious Claremont Humanities Centre in California in 1994.
Rev. (Dr) Mantey, also a doctoral fellow of the Claremont Humanities Centre from 1992 to 1993, was ordained a reverend minister of the PCG in 1983 and made chairman of the Akuapem Presbytery in 2006.
Before his current position, Rev. (Dr) Mantey had served in several congregations and establishments of the PCG in different parts of the country.
Rev. (Dr) Mantey, who is also the current chairman of the Peace Council of the Eastern Region, is married with three children.
No comments:
Post a Comment