SDA Women converge for national congress
About 4,000 Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church women from across the country have converged on the Athletics Oval of the University of Ghana (UG) for the 2023 National Women's Ministries Congress.
The five-day event, themed: "Empowered to Go: Get Involved Now", officially opened yesterday with a mammoth gathering of the various Women's Ministries from all the 16 regions displaying different cultures pertaining to their respective regions.
From the north, south, east and west, the women, clad in their rich traditional outfits, portrayed how their festivals are celebrated while propagating messages of hope, leadership, education, challenges of teenage pregnancy, women empowerment, among others.
The quadrennial event is aimed at providing a single platform for members of the women’s ministry of the church to discuss critical issues such as importance of education, abuse against women, skills training for women, community empowerment, among others.
Empowering women
In a speech read on her behalf, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, said Ghanaian women had made significant strides in all aspects of human endeavour, especially in education, health, family, economics and politics.
She, however, said despite the progress made in these areas, women still needed to be empowered further to continue to serve as the engine for faster growth.
"In the area of health, professionals are predominantly women: as consultants, specialists, doctors, nurses, among others, contributing significantly to ensure citizens enjoy superior health care," she said.
"The theme for this quadrennial National Women's Ministries Congress could not be more appropriate as we discuss critical issues that affect women and prevent them from achieving their full potential in life," she added.
She also mentioned that her ministry would continue to coordinate gender-related interventions and work closely with all stakeholders to provide the right information, knowledge, skills and tailor-made services to vulnerable women and girls.
"I encourage you to continue to instil the right values and beliefs in our children and groom them to grow in the fear and wisdom of the Lord.
“It is my desire that at the end of this congress, you would have deliberated on strategies to further empower women to take up their rightful place in society and contribute towards the sustainable development of Ghana," she concluded.
Opening ceremony
Opening the congress, the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Alhassan, said: “as we gather here today, let us know that we are not alone in this nation.
We are part of a community of believers united by our faith and our shared commitment to make a difference in the world.
Together, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to go forth and be agents of change.
“My dear sisters, I want to urge you to continue using the tools that you use to train your children to become responsible citizens in this country,” she said.
She reminded the delegates that their actions, no matter how small they might seem, could bring about transformation and renewal, and thus encouraged them to embrace this calling with open hearts and willing spirits.
“Let us be the hand and the feet of Christ in a world that so desperately needs His love.
Let us go forth empowered by grace to make a positive and lasting impact on our communities and the world at large,” she stated.
The Director of Public Affairs at the University of Ghana and chairperson for the occasion, Dr Elizier Taiba Ameyaw-Buronyah, expressed her delight in the coming together of members of the women of the SDA Church to deliberate on the roles they could collectively play to advance God's work.