President Akufo-Addo with the acting Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev G.O. Kwapong
President Akufo-Addo has expressed gratitude to the leadership and members of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) for their support and prayers over the years.
He believes that their prayers and support as well as those of several Ghanaians, were what led to his becoming President of the Republic.
Addressing the 17th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church at Abetifi in the Eastern Region over the weekend, he recalled how nearly a year ago he addressed the 16th General Assembly of the Church, where he, amongst others, outlined his vision for the country – should he win the elections of December 2016 – and went ahead to appeal to the Church for its prayers and support.
President Akufo-Addo noted, “By the grace of God, and with the generosity of the Ghanaian people, I am here today, not as presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, but as President of the Republic.”
For him, it was therefore “‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts.”
In attendance were Acting Moderator of the General Assembly, Reverend G.O. Kwapong; Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev. Dr Samuel Ayete-Nyampong; immediate past Moderator, Reverend Prof. Emmanuel Martey and the entire membership of the Synod.
Nana Addo deemed it fit and proper that, “After coming here to seek your support during the 16th General Assembly, I come back again, during the 17th General Assembly, to express my profound appreciation.”
He also used the occasion to thank the Church for all the services it has offered in the areas of education, health, agriculture, amongst others.
Belief
The president believes that he and his party (NPP) won the 2016 elections because the Ghanaian people were dissatisfied with their living conditions and the direction in which the economy, and indeed, the country was headed.
“They believed we, in the NPP, were different, and could put in place the requisite measures to improve their living conditions. My government has begun putting in place the measures that will improve the living conditions of the Ghanaian people,” he stressed.
Appeal
President Akufo-Addo appealed once again, for the support of every Ghanaian, especially the prayers of the church, to help him and his government carry out their mandate successfully.
He urged not just members of the church, but Ghanaians in general, to believe in his and his government’s ability to build what he called “a modern, developed, progressive nation, and free ourselves from a mindset of dependence, aid, charity and handouts.”
According to him, “We can, together, build a new Ghanaian civilization, where there is fair opportunity for all in education and health, where hard work, enterprise and creativity are rewarded, where there is an abundance of decent jobs with good pay, where there is a dignified retirement for the elderly, where there is a social safety net for the vulnerable and disadvantaged, where governance is honest and free of corruption, and where the rule of law works.”
The founders of Ghana, President Akufo-Addo stressed, chose the words ‘Freedom and Justice’ as the country’s motto, “because they envisaged us as a shining example to the black peoples of the world of what a free, dedicated, enterprising, Ghanaian people can do to build a society, the equal of anywhere on the face of the planet. I am deeply influenced by this vision.”
President Nana Addo prayed for God’s blessings for the church and for its Moderator, Rt. Rev. Cephas Omenyo, who has been unwell for some time now.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent