Officials of AG LOC handing over official souvenirs to Daily Guide team
The Assemblies of God World Congress, scheduled to take place in Accra from October 14 to 16, is expected to attract between 40,000 and 45,000 participants for its evening sessions, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Rev. Andrews Nelson Awintia, has disclosed.
He said the historic congress would be the first time the global gathering of the Assemblies of God Church would be held on African soil since the establishment of the church 115 years ago.
Rev. Awintia made the disclosure when he led a delegation of the LOC on a visit to the offices of the DAILY GUIDE newspaper yesterday to officially announce the event and seek media support for the congress.
He was accompanied by Rev. Isaac Amidini, a member of the committee, and Roland Affail Monney, Chairman in charge of publicity. They were received by Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, the Editor of the newspaper, and Abdul-Rahman Gomda, News Editor.
According to Rev. Awintia, the Assemblies of God was established in the United States in 1914 following the Azusa Street Revival and had since organised a global congress every three years.
He said despite the church’s global reach, none of the previous congresses had been hosted in Africa until Ghana was selected to host the upcoming event.
“Ghana was chosen as the first African country to host the Congress,” he said, adding that the decision came with a major logistical responsibility because of the expected numbers.
Rev. Awintia explained that because Ghana did not have a suitable facility capable of accommodating the thousands of delegates expected at the morning sessions, the organisers had ordered a large dome from Dubai.
The dome, he said, would accommodate at least 10,000 people at a time and was expected to arrive in Ghana yesterday or today.
He said the congress would be held in two sessions each day, with the morning programme taking place at Black Star Square and expected to attract at least 10,000 people.
The evening sessions, he added, would be held at the Accra Sports Stadium, where attendance was projected at between 40,000 and 45,000.
Rev. Awintia said the congress was not restricted to members of the Assemblies of God or Ghanaians, but was open to members of the public and participants from across Africa and the world.
He described the event as an important occasion for Africa, noting that several people from other African countries had contacted the organisers and expressed the view that the congress was an African event because it was being held on the continent for the first time.
The official opening ceremony on October 14 is expected to bring together several dignitaries, including President John Dramani Mahama, who is a member of the Assemblies of God church.
He further disclosed that 28 ministers of state had so far confirmed their participation in the congress.
The immediate past President of Malawi, who previously served as a General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God before becoming president, is also expected to attend.
A Daily Guide Report